


Better Left (Un)Said

by desertspells



Category: One Piece
Genre: Cat Companion, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, Gen, LGBTQ Themes, Medication, Mystery, Nakama, Other, Pre-Time Skip, Reader-Insert, Romance, Secrets, Selectively Mute Reader, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Social Anxiety, nonbinary reader, they/them pronouns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2020-10-26 15:29:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 60,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20744477
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desertspells/pseuds/desertspells
Summary: The town was, well, a town. More important, there was food in the town. The air was filled with spices that coat the back of his throat but were laced with an undeniable sweetness. It melded with the scent of the vegetables the vendors were selling in their stands. The town was perfect or, at least, perfect enough. Then, from afar, Luffy sees someone. They stand in stark contrast against everything else. A blip in the otherwise seamless, flawless disposition of the town. And, he can't help but wonder, "Why are they different?"(Gender-Neutral Reader)[Hiatus: computer issues & work overload]





	1. Gen. Info

**Timeline**: After Thriller Bark Arc, before Sabaody Archipelago Arc

**Content Warning**: This is a heads up about some of the themes this story will dive into that could be uncomfortable for some readers. I hope this doesn’t deter you too much, I promise the story gets happy. I mean it’s the Strawhat Pirates, they make everything better~

>General Violence  
>Swearing  
>Vague descriptions of bodily injuries (mentions of wounds/blood/etc.)  
>Vague details on hunting animals (hunting them for meat/fur)

This story will deal with  
>Queerphobia (misgendering, minor/major violence, hateful talk)  
>Social Anxiety/Mental Health/Slight Selective Mutism  
>Social Isolation  
>Processing Guilt

**Extra**  
Language is a little confusing in the world of OP. I know I shouldn’t pay too much attention to it, but I studied linguistics/phonetics so I can’t help it ^_^’ (English is a combo of so many other languages, where did the other languages come from, etc.) The way I’m going to have it is this: Everybody speaks English but has a second language. Rarely does anybody only know one language, everybody knows English and [2nd language]. So...yeah, throwing my two cents in there because I was thinking about the characters' attack names. MC will know English and Spanish.


	2. Prologue

“It’s okay, you’re okay…”

“Mrow!”

“Shhh, shh, I know. I know, you’re going to be okay.”

You dabbed at the open wound on the wildcat’s leg with a cotton ball. The disinfectant was causing mild pain, but you knew the kitten needed it if she wanted to keep the wound on her leg from getting infected. You reached over to your left to pick up a tiny piece of rabbit meat. You pat her head and fed her. You muttered more encouraging words while you rewrapped her leg. 

“I found it! Oh thank goodness, I knew I had it somewhere.”

From around the corner of the room, your guardian slipped into view. Their arms were in the air, and in their hands was the treasure they had spent half an hour looking for. The book titled “Discover Sekhmets: The Wildcats of Zermatt Island.” Gabriel proceeded to flip through the pages, unaware of the dust clinging to their short, coily pink hair. They read random facts about the wildcat in a slight sing-song tone as they walked closer to you and the hurt Sekhmet.

“Sekhmets hunt in packs, da da daa, Solitary otherwise, small groups, uh-huh uh-huh,...where’s their diets? What does this hunny like?” Your guardian flipped through the book at random, a frown on their face. You went onto feed the kitten another piece of meat, a small smirk on your lips. You waited to see if they would realize that they could check the book’s table of contents page.

“Rabbit meat.”

“Eh?”

You turned around to point at the book. “It’s going to say rabbit meat. They eat insects, mice, rabbits, and a pack can take down a fully grown Zermatt sheep.” You smiled when the cat meowed at you when you stopped petting her. “I’ve seen them take one down. It’s incredible.”

“Amazing,” Gabriel breathed. “And I should’ve known that you’d know. These cats are nocturnal like you, aren’t they?” You nodded, your attention back to the kitten as you teased her by petting her and then stopping. 

“I’ve seen a lot of animals during the night, and Sekhmets are some of the coolest.”

“Ooh~ Maybe you’re a Sekhmet.” At your raised eyebrow, Gabriel continued. “Maybe you were transformed into a human. Poof! Suddenly you show up one day in my life, and you’re like this precious thing here. Cat-like, up at ungodly hours, and cute as a button.”

“I’m...I’m not cute,” you muttered and you felt yourself blush. 

“Well, agree to disagree. I think this is Déjà vu if I’m honest. An adorable being found injured in the desert, bring them home, and then tah-dah! A family of one grows. Now we’re three.”

“I don’t know…” You waved your fingers around the kitten to let her try and catch you. “Once she’s healed, she’ll probably want to go back to the desert. A pack might be out there for her.”

“I think she’s too attached to you sweetie,” Gabriel took a seat beside you at the table. They gave you a side hug. “And you don’t wanna leave her on her own while she’s hurt, right?” You shake your head as you leaned into the hug. You reached up to brush the dust off their head. “Tell you what; why don’t you take her to the cottage? You’ll have a more cozy environment there.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I think she’ll feel more comfortable in a smaller space and closer to you. This house is waaay too spacious and empty. She’s been fussy the whole time here,” Gabriel huffed as they looked around the unwelcoming house. “This place was meant to house a lot of people, but right now it’s too quiet and empty.” You glanced up, remembering how Gabriel had said they inherited the house instead of choosing it. “The cottage is a one-person place, so have something like a sleepover, just the two of you.”

“I’ll come over at four to eat breakfast with you,” you said.

“Of course, as usual dear. Now, make sure to bring this little lady with you.” 

“Will do.”

“What will you name her? She’s been with you for a while, has any name caught your eye?”

“...Um,” you brushed your fingers over the kitten’s sandy colored coat. Her subtle stripes had not formed yet, so the pattern on her was more spots than stripes. “Dotty. I think I’ll call her Dotty.”

“Dotty! What a cute name~ Perfect. Alright, tomorrow we’ll go to Florette together to buy groceries and buy medical supplies for Dotty. I wonder if that new doctor could help us with the kitten’s leg?”

You scrunch your face. 

Florette Town: The town of flowers. The beautiful oasis to weary travelers. The smiling people, the glancing eyes, the hushed whispers.

“Now now, I know what you’re thinking.” Gabriel interrupted your scowling. “We’ll be in and out. Besides, I have a wonderful outfit I have to wear. A certain adorable somebody got me the perfect lipstick shade, so I have an outfit picked out for it. Pale lavender really brings out my wonderful melanin, you know me so well.”

You smiled at Gabriel’s words even when your heart tightened at the idea of going into the town.

You had been glared at by a salesclerk for having bought them the lavender lipstick, but they were still going to wear it? However, if lipstick helped them feel more like themselves, you would happily buy Gabriel a crateful. They did everything they could for you. From helping you explore your gender expression to being a caring and attentive single parent all of a sudden, Gabriel did everything. In return, their happiness became your priority. 

Of course you’d deal with Florette for them. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ll be back later,” you promised the pink roses behind the cottage. They weren’t ready to bloom yet, so you were waiting for the day you and Gabriel would pluck them to make rose oil and perfume. The Jardin de Fleurs, an annual event in Florette, would be coming up soon. It was then when Gabriel would sell the products to people who had good taste. 

You had woken up earlier than expected, and this meant you would be at Gabriel’s place around three thirty instead of four. The kitten, now getting used to walking with a bandage wrapped around her leg, meowed up at you. She hobbled away from the backyard as if saying she was ready to leave. Her slow pace let you know she still felt the pain, so you scooped her up.

“Let me hold you for now.”

You walked with her in your arms, and you went at a steady pace. Since you were going to Florette, you were dressed to feel more confident in yourself instead of practical. You may not dress as glam as Gabriel, but you did dress in a way that had people look. You repeat to yourself what Gabriel had taught you.

“People are going to stare, so dress to look good and feel good.”

You crossed grassy fields, climbed the short hill, and pushed past bristled bushes on your way home. Dotty had climbed onto your shoulder so it was easier to use your arms along the way. You both found it to be the best solution to walking across the desert. After an hour, you see Gabriel’s home. Your home. 

The door was torn off its hinges.

“Gabriel..?” You ran to the house, cold sweat was chilling your body. “Hello!? Please answer...Gabriel!” You called out to your guardian, but there was no response. You ran inside, but you didn’t get far. The entrance to the house looked as if a tornado had burst in. The split wood and torn furniture only added to the icy feeling in your gut.

“The town…” you muttered in a haze as you went to the living room. You lifted Dotty off your shoulder to put her in the makeshift bed you had made for her from a crate. “Gabriel must be in town. They’re...they’re strong. They’ve probably taken the intruder to be arrested. Stay here for me, okay? I’ll come back for you.” You pat the wildcat’s head with a shaky hand. Your vision began to blur, so you closed your eyes in order to keep yourself together. You stood up and walked out of the house. 

Once you were at the entrance of the town, your anxiety started to grow. The people were not walking around as usual. You cupped your hands around your ears to amplify the noises around you. You heard some distant muttering in a general direction and followed it. The closer you got the noise, the sooner you realized that it was the center of town that everybody had gathered at. 

“....Of treason against the World Government!”

A boisterous voice rang clear as you approached the crowd. You squeeze yourself through until you made it to the front of the crowd. By the fountain at the center of the town stood Gabriel with their hands cuffed. They were surrounded by marine soldiers who had their guns pointed at them. Your eyes widened in horror. 

“How do you plead?” A dark-haired man in his thirties finished his speech. He gave your guardian the side-eye, waiting for a response. 

“...” Gabriel glanced over at the captain of the Marine Base with an indifferent expression. It was the look someone would give a fly on a window. You looked around and noticed that a large number of marine soldiers were there. The main city where the Marine Base was stationed at was an hour away on horseback, and yet the captain brought a small army with him. 

“Tch, going for the silent treatment huh? Don’t suddenly try to act like a man, _Seyamour_ Gabriel. It’s hard to take you seriously with glitter on your eyelids.” Captain Gustav sneered. He cleared his throat and continued. “I, Captain Gustav, find you guilty of--”

“_No!_” 

There were hushed whispers among the people. Many of them took steps back, a gesture to show their innocence to not having been the one who interrupted. 

Gustav closed his eyes and took a breath in, restraining his anger. 

“Who has the lack of _manners_ as to interrupt?” The Marine captain looked for the source of the voice, and his glare ended on you. You did your best to keep your expression calm, but your nerves were shaken. The captain’s glare could have cut you in half. “Are you claiming that the accusations against Gabriel are false?” 

“...” You nodded. You didn’t know what was happening, but you knew that Gabriel was innocent. Whatever it was that Gustav was claiming before, it was false.

“(Y/n), dear, don’t--” You heard your guardian’s gentle voice. Whatever tough persona you had was gone when you looked at them. Your eyes began to tear up as you hoped that Gabriel would tell you why this was happening. “It’s okay my child--”

“Hah! Child? What woman would’ve had a child with you?” Gustav’s laugh was nails on a chalkboard. Before you could utter a sentence, he continued. “Does anybody else here want to claim that the accusations are false? Do you have proof of his--” he gestured to Gabriel “--_innocence_? He’s a member of the _Revolutionary Army!_”

There was more muttering in the crowd, but nobody spoke up. You took a step forward to move away from the crowd and look back at them. Everybody was looking away, mothers and fathers were shushing their children's curious questions, and the elders of the town were staring you down. You heard a confrontational “There’s proof they’re guilty?” from a young woman named Silvia in the crowd. Her mother tapped her shoulder, urging her to keep quiet. 

“Well unless you have proof, you’re getting in the way of justice.” Gustav spoke up as he gestured for the soldiers to usher Gabriel away. Gabriel breathed in and then out. They stood straight and held their head up with the pride of a royal. 

You on the other hand were panicking, and your mind was running idea after idea of what you could do to free them. 

_I’ll...I’ll do it if I have to_, you thought with a determined glare. _I can save them._ You tighten your hands into fists and concentrated. _I can still--_

“**(Y/n)!**” Gabriel’s booming voice interrupted your thoughts. You flinched, surprised by their stern tone. It even stunned the soldiers that were escorting them. “Don’t.” Gabriel shook their head and gave you a gentle smile. It only made your tears finally fall. “I’ll be alright, so please don’t. I’ll be okay. Go stay with Madame G--”

“That’s enough chatter!” Gustav roared. “Men! Take him! NOW!” The soldiers saluted and continued their orders. Gabriel tried to finish their sentence, but their words were drowned out as the soldiers shouted orders to each other and dispersed the crowd. Gustav walked up to you before you could think of running after Gabriel. He waited for a reaction from you, but you only glared.

“....”

And said nothing. 

“You need to learn your place--erm,” he scoffed as he looked down at you. “You don’t even look like you have hair on your chest. Wait until puberty has made you a man before thinking you get to have a say.” You kept glaring at him, but he nodded to somebody behind you and then gestured to his neck. You were confused, and as you turned to look behind you...you were hit in the back of the head by the blunt end of a shotgun. 

You heard Gabriel’s plea of “Don’t hurt them!” before you hit the ground and saw nothing but darkness. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You stirred with a pounding headache. You kept your eyes closed as you ran a hand down your face. You pushed a wet cloth off your forehead in the process.When you opened your eyes and sat up, you heard a gasp and a relieved sigh. You had to blink a few times to get adjusted to the light of the room you were in. 

“You’re awake, oh thank goodness!”

A young woman with long, brown hair approached your bed with a bowl of water. It was Silvia, so you realized that you were in her family’s inn/cafe, La Petite Source. She was somebody you could trust. She set the bowl by the bed and took the wet cloth off your lap. The town’s new doctor was sitting on a chair in the small room, and she cleared her throat. You hadn’t interacted much with her before, so you only knew a few things about her. You knew that she was new in town, her name was Sophia, and she was Silvia’s age. 

“Thankfully you don’t have a severe concussion, but I want to give you some Acetaminophen for your recovery. Also, I’m sorry,” the doctor with coily, black hair held up your binder. “I wanted to be careful with your head, so I had to cut the binder to slip it off of you. I couldn’t have you wearing something tight while unconscious.” She put it on the bed, but you only stared at it in silence. The two women looked at each other, worried by your silence.

“What time is it?” You whispered. The women were apprehensive to answer, but you could see from the window that the sun had set. “They took Gabriel.”

“They’re...alive…” Silvia responded, but she didn’t want to continue with the news. You looked over at her, and she looked down to add. “They...They said that, um, they’re going...to…”

“Impel Down…” Doctor Sophia finished. 

Your eyes widened at the word, you remembered Gabriel talking about the prison. There was always a far off and melancholy look in Gabriel’s eyes whenever they told you about things related to the World Government. 

Silence filled the room again. 

“I-I’ll bring some grapes and cheese,” Silvia offered. Before she could leave, you grabbed your binder and pushed the blanket off. “(Y/n)? Where are you going?”

You looked down and tugged at your shirt. It was loose enough that it would be fine if you were binderless. You got out of bed and took a few seconds to allow a sudden headache flare to pass. You put your shoes on while the two women watched you get ready to leave. 

“I know it isn’t my place to say, but please don’t try going to the Marine Base. The ship has probably already left.” Doctor Sophia reasoned. It earned her a stern look from Silvia, but the doctor shrugged back in defeat. She wasn’t wrong, and Silvia knew that. 

“Home,” you stated. “Goodbye.” 

“You’re going home? Ah, wait, (Y/n)...Doctor? Say something?” Silvia tried to get the doctor to help her, but you were already out the door. You heard the two talking back and forth about what to do, but you were at the bottom of stairs by the time they realized. You saw a few patrons at the cafe, and they all avoided eye contact. You made your way out the front, but you heard Silvia running down the stairs. “I’ll be home later Maman!” She called out in the direction of the kitchen to her mother. 

The town was quiet and almost everybody was going in for the night. It was as if the events from earlier hadn’t happened, but they could not hide the discomfort in the air. Gabriel being taken away by the Marines was not something that could be brushed under the rug as if nothing. The whole town was there, and yet Gabriel wasn’t allowed a fair trial? You bite the inside of your cheek to keep from crying; you needed to get to the mansion. Silvia followed you and kept quiet. She wasn’t sure anything could be said that would help the situation, so the least she could do was be by your side.

When the two of you were at the mansion, you went straight to the living room. Silvia followed after you and looked around. It was the first time she had gotten to see the house. Her parents had said that the mansion used to belong to an affluent family, but the family had dwindled to almost nothing. The town’s elders didn’t like to talk about the family that used to own the house, but then Gabriel had showed up one day. They were a descendant of the family, and they had inherited the house when the last family member had died. 

The previous owner was a poor old man who had fallen out of a tree when he was apple picking. 

“It’s a beautiful home you have,” Silvia complimented, ignoring the debris by the door. You didn’t respond because you were gathering Dotty into your arms. Silvia had no idea what you were doing, until she noticed that the creature in your arms meowed. “(Y/n)?! Is that a Sekhmet?” 

You nodded. “We’ll stay at the cottage.” You let the kitten climb up to your shoulder. You went to a different room, leaving Silvia confused on what she should do. She decided to sweep up the debris at the front. It helped minimize the mess and gave her something to do. 

In the empty, quiet house, the silence was only broken by the occasional noise made by the sweeping of a broom or your footsteps as you went around gathering yours and Gabriel’s most important items. Your clothes, books, your and Gabriel’s self-care routine items, make-up, etc.

“Gabriel...”

Your shaking voice pulled Silvia from her cleaning. She watched as you picked a picture out from the picture album titled _Famille Seyamour_. The brunette walked up beside you to see the picture you were holding. 

It was a picture of you and Gabriel. The two of you were on a blanket in front of the house, a spontaneous idea by Gabriel. The forty year old gentleperson was dressed up with their makeup bright. The makeup somehow shined through the sepia picture. You were sitting close beside them on your knees, dressed down in comparison. The bright smiles on both your faces showed how much fun you two had that day. You dropped the album to hold the picture close to your heart, and you fell down to your knees.

Seyamour Gabriel: your guardian, your teacher, your friend. They were gone.

You cried out, and it was such a heartbroken cry that it made Silvia begin to cry. She would never forget the anguish she heard that night as you sobbed at the loss of your most cherished person.


	3. The Best Desserts

La Petite Source was your favorite cafe & inn to visit. 

It was also the only place you would sell to. You were going there to do business with Dotty by your side. Said cat was standing on your backpack with her hind legs and using your shoulder for support with her forelegs. This made it easy for her to people watch while still being close to your bag. It amused you because it seemed like she wanted to make sure that the contents in the bag were safe. In her mind, the best way that they would be safe was if they were close to her. You tapped your shoulder where her front paws were. 

It let her know that you were telling her to move there.

The cat meowed and she jumped up to sit on your shoulder. You scratched her under the chin as passing townsfolk glanced at the two of you. There was a subtle walkway made just for you as people avoided crossing your path. In the sea of people in the rustic town, everybody greeted each other with warmth and cheer. It was a lovely town after all. The sunshine wasn’t the only warmth in Florette.

You would not receive that sunshine. 

Merchants had set up their stands again for the afternoon shoppers on the streets, and the sweet aroma of food filled the air. You could stay around, you could be part of the perfect town. 

You stopped walking to taste the spices in the air for a second. You looked around to see people, familiar and strangers, mingling in the art of haggling. You saw a farmer promise the freshest eggplants to a housewife. You smirked when another vendor pulled a young man wearing a straw hat towards his vegetable stand. You shake your head at the escalating argument between a chef and the butcher. You could join in. Be part of that. 

You wouldn’t dream of it.

Once at the cafe & inn, you waited by the round tables outside. The cover extending past the cafe provided a nice shade from the sun for customers who wanted to eat outside. You didn’t have to wait outside for long because Silvia passed by with a handful of empty plates. She did a double take when she saw you.

“(Y/n)!” She set the plates down on a table as she went to the front to greet you. “Please, come in, come in! I haven’t seen you in weeks.” You nodded as a greeting and followed her inside. You stayed near the front of the cafe as you took your backpack off. You let Dotty climb to the top of you head and then back to your shoulder when you had the bag off. “How many did you and Dotty catch I wonder~” Silvia smiled at you as you unlatched the straps.

You pulled out five containers that were filled with cut up and skinned rabbit meat. They were fairly large with good muscles and fats on them. The fur you had at home in your cottage. The rabbit hides would take a while to be sold since it would take at least two weeks to tan them. The process was worth it when you could sell them at a good price. The credit went to Dotty for being able to catch the rabbits on the island. The rabbits were _much_ faster than the average rabbit. Despite their speed, they were no match for their natural predator the Sekhmet Cat.

“I’ll take these to the kitchen. Maman is going to be happy to have this on the menu again. I think we’re down to two? I wonder who will order this yummy meal?” 

You stacked the containers on a wheeled tray stand holder for Silvia to push to the kitchen. You wrote down the price for the meat, and you wrote about the rabbit hides you had tanning. The cafe did not sell rabbit hide, but you always offered it encase they wanted to sell it to somebody. If they didn’t, you would go to Violette Town to sell. 

“I’ll bring down your payment in a bit. By the way, look at this.” Silvia pointed to a flier pinned to the wall. “Maman is making new desserts, see if any of them are ones you want to try. My treat!” Silvia smiled when you nodded in return. You approached the flier as Silvia pushed the tray into the kitchen. 

The flier had a list of desserts, but there were only three that had their pictures taken. You crooked your head as you looked at the desserts. Madame Garreaux was a great chef, but you had a feeling that desserts were her favorite things to make. The three desserts pictured were unique. One looked like a custard dessert with caramel sauce, and your mouth watered a little. The other dessert was round, white, and powdery looking with a cup of tea beside it. You couldn’t tell what it was stuffeded with. The final desert looked like a thin pancake that was holding strawberries and chocolate syrup. You licked your lips at the picture. 

“Flan.” You whispered to yourself as you read the dessert’s name above their picture. “Flan, hmmm...” You crooked your head at the white dessert beside the green tea. “Dai...Daifuku?” You hummed, wondering what the dessert tasted like. It wasn’t something you had seen before.

You turned back to look at the doors leading to the kitchen when you heard your name. Silvia was telling her mother about your arrival and showing off what you had to sell. You frowned when your eyes landed on one of the pillars in the cafe. At the top of it, there was a darkened stain not well hidden by the coat of cream white paint. You looked back at the flier with desserts. 

_The burn marks are still there_, you looked down. _Can’t replace the pillar, it’s holding the place up_. You felt Dotty brush her face against the side of your cheek. You smiled and scratched her under her chin. _Thank you, I’ll be okay._

“Ooh~ This place smells good too~” An unfamiliar voice said in a sing-song manner. The person approached the cafe while sniffing the air. You glanced to the side to see a young man enter La Petite Source. He had dark blue shorts, a red vest, black hair and a scar under his left eye. He had a strawhat on his head. 

_Is he the one the vegetable merchant was trying to sell to?_

“It smells so good here too...Ah! The mystery person!” You blinked thrice in confusion as the young man pointed at you. The who now? “Hey, what are you looking at?” He walked up beside you to look at the flier. “A list of desserts? Those look tasty! Flan, crêpes, daifuku--oh, cotton candy milkshake? Chopper would love that.”

_Energetic_ was the word that came to mind. The new person _radiated_ positivity. It felt comfortable being in his presence, and that was something you thought was unusual. You wondered how he did that. 

“Hm, should we eat here?” He crossed his arms as he read through the list, hoping it would help answer his question. “Is there a meat dessert?”

“Pfft...erm...The best desserts are here,” you responded in a hushed voice. You made a face at the idea of a meat dessert, but the oddity of it amused you and made you curious at the possibilities. 

You weren’t sure what compelled you to talk. Maybe you were in a good mood because you and Dotty had caught a good number of rabbits? Maybe Silvia’s excitement to see you had made you happy and put you in a good mood? Maybe it was the stranger’s energy that made you feel at ease? Was it a combination of all three? Whatever the reason, you had spoken and your face heat up a little as the stranger looked at you. 

“Huh? Really?” He crooked his head as he looked at you and Dotty. You avert your gaze so you were looking at the flier again. “You don’t sound like I thought you would.” Your posture stiffened. You were sure at any second he would ask the ‘Are you a boy or a girl’ question. You knew the thinking process. 

_You kinda look like a guy, but you sound kinda like a girl. Which are you?_ You were ready to walk out of the cafe at any second when the interrogation began. You could return later to get the payment from Silvia if he questioned you as you expected him to. Instead, he continued with:

“Shishishi~ You’re pretty cool.”

“...H-Huh?” You looked away from the flier to stare at him with confusion. He responded with a wide smile. 

“You’re an interesting person. What’s your name?” You were thrown off guard by his straightforwardness that you muttered your name to him. “It’s nice to meet ya, I’m Monkey D. Luffy, the guy who’s gonna be the Pirate King!” 

_What...what a bold statement to make_, you thought. You couldn’t help but smile a little. Luffy was grinning still as if his declaration was the same as saying ‘fire is hot.’ The cat on your shoulder meowed, and you remembered to introduce her as well. “Dotty.” You said while pointing at her. The cat sat up straight and puffed her chest out. 

“Ooh~ What a cool looking cat! Nice to meet cha too.” Dotty meowed again before she curled down to be comfortable on your shoulder again. “You said this place has the best desserts?” You nodded and tapped the picture of the crêpe. 

“Seasonal desserts, so...get them now.” You had a small smile on your face while looking at the food. “The cafe owners are nice. Um...yeah.” You stopped, feeling self-conscious. “Please enjoy.”

“Okay. I’m sold.” 

Luffy put his fists on his sides, a triumphant smile on his face. You couldn’t help but do a double take at his words. Your short words convinced him? You doubted it, and reasoned that he could smell the delicious scent that was wafting from the kitchen. 

How he was able to smell out the cafe when there were other food smells in the air you did not know.

“Hey, why not to eat with me and my crew?” He got another double take from you. “You recommended this place, so I want you to eat with us. It’s sorta a thank you, I guess? Yeah! Eat with us.”

“I...um,” you wondered if you could sit with a group of strangers for an extended period of time. A group of pirates to be exact. The idea should have scared you, but you were curious about what this guy’s crew was like. Were they laid-back like him? Would they also not bat an eye at the fact that you were gender nonconforming? 

“I’d...really appreciate it.” The words left your mouth before you could register them. 

“Great! I’ll go get ‘em. I kinda ran off ahead, shishishi~ oops.” Luffy scratched the back of his head and then adjusted his strawhat. “I’ll see you two soon, let’s eat delicious food together.” Luffy said while leaving. He was out the entrance before you could utter another word. You saw him again before he ran off because he went back to the front to wave goodbye to you. You waved back.

“...Why did I agree to that??” you muttered under your breath. You felt your heart pound a little faster. “...Shit!” You didn’t interact with anybody outside of Silvia, Doctor Sophia, and the shepherd Antonio. How were you going to do with a whole group of strangers? You took a seat outside and put your head in your hands. You groaned. You had done this to yourself. Dotty hopped down to the floor so she could rub against your legs. Maybe her cuteness would distract you from an existential crisis. 

You were waiting for a minute before you caught sight of one of the town’s elders. Claude Peletier was an old, skinny man with tufts of grey hair sticking out from the sides his bowler hat. His shiny bald spot on top of his head contrasted the dark, brown and thick mustache he had on his upper lip. When he saw you, he smiled and removed his hat. You kept your expression neutral as he approached. 

“Good evening, it’s wonderful weather today, isn't it?” He gestured to the sky with his hat. He held his bowler hat to his chest, and he waited to see if you would respond. At your silence, he continued. “The flowers in the fields are blooming nicely, and young ladies such as yourself look wonderful with flowers in their hair. My granddaughter loves braiding them into her hair. She could add them to your hair too, if you would like that of course.”

He was met with more silence, so he sighed resigned. Despite it being common knowledge among the town that you didn’t talk, he tried to converse with you whenever possible. 

You frowned a little. Out of the town elders, Monsieur Peletier was the only one that tried to be kind to you. He was awkward about it at best, and offensive by accident at worst. You thought about his implication that flowers would look good on you. His language was gendered, but he was trying to compliment you at least. 

‘_You would look nice with flowers in your hair’. At least he’s trying._ You then had the realization that the other town elders were bound to show up soon. If Monsieur Peletier was there to secure a table, it was so the group could eat together. 

At the sound of footsteps behind you, you stood up to see Silvia approaching you with an envelope stacked with paper Beris. “Sorry it took me a bit, Maman wanted some help in the kitchen. Here’s your payment for--oh Monsieur Peletier, welcome.”

“Good evening Mademoiselle, it’s good to see you in good health today too.”

“Thank you Monsieur, I’m happy you’re doing well today as well.”

While the two talked, you went inside to grab your bag. You put it on and were ready to leave. The possibility of the town elders arriving at the cafe made you feel anxious. Your relationship with them was _strained_, and you couldn’t imagine being in their presence for long. Before you were out the front door, you checked the envelope and saw you were overpaid again. You knew trying to reason with Silvia and her mother would be impossible, so you sighed and put the money away in your bag. _I want to go home now, let’s go Dotty._

You passed the elder and Silvia on your way out, but Silvia stopped you.

“Wait, you can have dessert, remember? My treat?” 

You processed her words. You looked in the direction you had seen Luffy leave to, and you frowned. You wanted to stay, but then the thought about the town elders made you drop the idea. You shake your head, letting Silvia know that you were leaving. She sighed.

“Okay, you’re welcome anytime you want.” She glanced at the older man, putting two and two together. You stood quiet for a few seconds, fidgeting before approaching her. You tugged at the front of her shirt, and you opened your arms. 

“...Hm.” You looked up at the brunette with a small smile. Her eyes sparkled like stars. 

“Oh! Yes, of course!” Silvia pulled you into a tight hug. Dotty had moved to the top of your head to avoid being crushed. “Come back anytime, I can’t wait to see you.” She released you and she seemed to be glowing. You almost never asked for hugs, so it was an opportunity she always took. You were about to turn to leave, but you locked eyes with the older man. You nodded to him, and then you were leaving La Petite Source. Silvia and Monsieur Peletier looked at each other in surprise. 

“She greeted me,” Monsieur Peletier said in delight. “(Y/n) actually acknowledged me instead of ignoring me.” He put his hat back on his head, and tapped the top of it in a show of excitement. 

“Yes, _they_ acknowledged you,” Silvia emphasized. “Well Monsieur, would you like a table inside or outside?”

“Oh, we won’t be eating right now,” the elder explained. “The men and I want to eat at the cafe later tonight, around eight o’clock? I wanted to let you know beforehand that we’re coming with our wives. I’m here to look at the dessert menu since your mother is bringing out the seasonal foods.”

“Right, right, of course.” Silvia kept her voice even, hiding her frustration. You left because you thought the group of old men would be appearing soon, but in actuality they would be at the cafe at night. _Dammit, couldn’t you have said that earlier?_ “Please, come inside and I’ll get you a copy of the dessert menu.” Monsieur Peletier followed the young woman to the desk area in the cafe/inn. She pulled out a smaller version of the flier from behind the desk so the old man could take it home with him. “You can show the rest of the elders this and you can see what you would like.”

“Oh thank you Mademoiselle, you’ve a saint.” Monsieur Peletier looked over the menu with a smile. The variety was a wonderful sight. “I’m going to head out to see the others, I can show them this menu.” The elder explained as he and Silvia went back to the front. 

“I hope you all find something you’ll like,” Silvia waved goodbye to the old man. “Have a good day.” Once he was out of sight, she sighed in frustration and put a fist on her hip. _If only he hadn’t shown, (Y/n) might’ve stayed. No customers right now, dessert menu updated, and they were in a good mood? Goddammit! What rotten luck!_

“Slow down Luffy, what cafe has you this excited?” 

The young woman heard a man chastising another man in the distance. From around the corner, Silvia saw a young man wearing a strawhat slide into view. He ran towards her direction with a curly haired man chasing him. 

“Luffy! Nami is going to get mad again about you running off!”

“This is the place,” the one named Luffy sniffed the air, turning his nose in the direction of Silvia’s cafe/inn. “This is the place with the best desserts!” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You made your way through the town. The gentle bustle on the streets was going on, and you made sure to zone out. You hoped you could gather your courage by tomorrow to return to the cafe. You wanted to visit La Petite Source to have coffee with Doctor Sophia and Silvia, but you also wanted to see Luffy again. You had promised to eat with his crew.

_I hope he doesn’t think me too rude for having left...No, there’s no way around it. I just booked it and he won’t know why._ You footsteps slowed down when you realized that you were approaching the town’s fountain. You blinked, realizing that you were heading into the heart of the town instead of the field.

_I didn’t even notice I was walking this way, I was just trying to get away..._You looked over the marble fountain, thankful its damages were all but gone. _The beris people threw in for wishes helped pay for its own repairs._ You put your hands in your pockets. You sighed, mixed feelings always surfaced with the fountain. 

A shiny red ball tapped your foot. 

“Pierre! How did you miss?” A young boy’s frustrated tone made you look up. He had brown hair and looked around ten years old. He stopped in his tracks when he saw you, but the little seven year old boy named Pierre kept walking towards you. 

“I’m sorry Hector,” said the little brunet boy that was getting closer to you. Once he was a yard away from you, he looked up at you and recognized you. “...Are you (Y/n)?” You nodded and picked up the ball. You walked closer and handed him the ball with a small smile. Pierre crooked his head while looking at you. “Are...are you a boy or a girl?” 

You weren’t annoyed by the question. When a child asked you that question, it was in an innocent manner. It was as if they were asking you ‘do you like chocolate ice cream or vanilla ice cream?’ It was when adults asked you the question that you became defensive. There was a difference between genuine curiosity and demanding an answer. 

“Pierre! Let’s go,” the older brother grabbed Pierre’s hand to pull him away. “Don’t bother him.”

The little boy held his ground. “I wanna know what (Y/n) says. Papa and Maman say don’t talk to (Y/n) but why?”

“I don’t know...” Hector looked over at you, an internal struggle happening between being curious and wanting to listen to his parents. 

“Are you a girl?” Pierre asked you, no malintent in his question. You smiled and shake your head. “So you’re a boy--hm?” You shake your head again. You chuckled at the boys’ expressions and walked around them as you reached up to pet Dotty. Before you were too far from the children, Pierre called out to you. “You look really pretty!”

“Pierre! You can’t tell a boy he’s pretty.”

“Why not? (Y/n) isn’t a boy...or a girl, so I can say they’re pretty.”

You looked over your shoulder and waved at the children. After you received an enthusiastic wave from Pierre and a hesitant one from Hector, you continue on your way out of the town. Dotty was purring from her spot on your shoulder and you were feeling okay. Visits to the town were rare, so you were happy that this day had been pleasant. _Children are pretty quick to adapt...I hope they carry that kindness into adulthood._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The creature I made up, the Sekhmet Cat, is a mixture of the Sand Cat and a Ragdoll Cat; tiny like a Sand Kitten and acts like a Ragdoll


	4. Arrival of the Strawhats

Luffy sat atop the lion head of the Thousand Sunny. He swayed side to side as the pirate ship drew closer to Zermatt Island. The crew was planning to sail to Fisherman Island, but Nami had pointed out that it would take longer than expected. They would need to stockpile on supplies before trying to head to the mysterious underwater island. 

After escaping the Florian Triangle (acquiring the new crew member Brook) and dealing with the headache that was the Foxy Pirates at Spa Island, the crew wanted a moment's rest. Luffy was reluctant but agreed on the fact that Fisherman Island would have to wait. 

“According to this travel guide I got while in Water 7,” Nami held up a brochure for the crew to see. “Zermatt Island is home to a marine base.”

“W-Wait wait wait a second Nami,” Usopp spoke up. “Why are we headed to an island with a marine base? Isn’t that a terrible idea with the whole, you know, us being pirates??”

“That’s true, that true!” chipped in Chopper. “Shouldn’t we wait for another island?”

“I thought that too, but I think this island can help us. Look,” Nami pointed to the map that had a bird’s eye view of the island. “The northside of the island is where the marine base is. It’s in the main city Verte. To the south--” Nami traced her finger down. “--is a town called Florette. Now, further down is the southern part of the island, and that’s where we can dock.”

“It’s unsafe to enter through the north of course,” Robin looked at the map as Nami was explaining. “But the south is open. It’s an open secret that people can do trade through there.”

“Do trade from the southern area?” Chopper asked, unsure of what Nami and Robin were insinuating. 

“Pirates can go to Florette and spend,” Nami rolled up the map. “They’ll allow in people who are pirates because they’re treated like tourists--as long as pirates behave of course.”

“Pirates heading to Florette from the south are going to be too tired to try and cause a scene. From the map, I’d estimate that it’s a three day trip by foot. It’s like a code of honor. ‘You can stop here and recharge as long as you don’t harm the people’ If pirates tried to cause the town harm, the citizens can call on the marine base that’s only about an hour away. It’s a losing situation for pirates hoping to cause a needless ruckus.”

“Since we’ll be there for supplies, we’re in the clear obviously.” Nami smiled at the thought of a quaint, quiet town to stop and rest. “Luffy! You heard that right? We’re going to Florette and we’re keeping a low profile.” Nami didn’t think for a second that Luffy would harm a person without a reason, but she still knew that the captain somehow always ended up causing/getting into trouble. 

“Go to Florette, get food,” Luffy responded, his eyes glued to the island drawing closer and closer. Nami sighed at his response but it was the best response Luffy would give. 

“Nami-swan~ Robin-chawn~ I made you two smoothies to deal with his harsh sun~” Sanji’s sing-song tone had Nami turn around to be face-to-face with a light pink smoothie. “Is there anything I should get prepared for the trip to this island Nami-chan?”

“Yes, Sanji-kun, I need you to prepare at least three days worth of food for us to take on our way to Florette. Okay, listen everybody!” Nami raised her voice so everybody’s attention was on her. Luffy even turned around to listen--that or he was eyeing the smoothie Nami was drinking. “It’s about a three day trip to Florette, so that means we’ll be away from Sunny. Franky and Zoro are going to stay and we’ll keep in contact with the Baby Den Den Mushi. The rest of us will go to the town to pick up whatever we need. Usopp, get a list from Franky about anything that he needs for future repairs to the Sunny.”

“Got it.” Usopp responded with a salute.

“Tell him that he can start slowing down the ship, the waves are pushing us closer to the island’s cliff.” 

Nami took a sip of her smoothie and looked at the island’s 200 hundred meter tall cliffs. The rocks were a mesh of white and brown with specks of green grass and mold leaking into the ocean. One particular spot caught her eye however. It was a triangular shaped hole.

“Wait, is that?...Could it be...?” Nami stopped mid-sentence when she noticed that there was a narrow cave on the side of the island. The only reason she spotted it was because of the way the waves were crashing against the spot. “Is that a cave?” When she walked to the side of the ship, Usopp, Chopper, Robin, and Sanji followed her lead. 

“Yohoho~ Nami-san, what would you like us to do?” Brook called from the inside of the ship where he and Franky were steering. 

“Oi, we’re close enough now right?” Zoro asked as he climbed down the crow’s nest/training room. 

“Yeah, we should be,” Usopp answered while he adjusted his snipper goggles to get a better view of the cave. “It’s a pretty well hidden cave, you’d miss it since it looks like the side of the island.”

“Franky! Brook! We’re going to squeeze the ship into a cave!” Nami shouted. The waves would be relatively calm for a while, so the cave was uncovered and safe. “Sanji, Zoro, pull up the sails.”

“Anything for you Nami-swan~”

“Tch, I just got down from the top.”

“Are you questioning Nami-san’s orders, Marimo-head?”

“What did you say, Ero-cook?”

“The sails, now!” Nami interrupted, knives in her words. It sent the two bickering men scattering to do their jobs. “Chopper, Usopp, Robin, keep and eye on the left and right sides to make sure the ship doesn’t get too close to the walls of the cave.” Chopper and Usopp saluted Nami and moved to their chosen spots. Robin and Chopper were watching the left, while Usopp watched the right. “Luffy, keep an eye on the front and make sure we don’t hit anything.” Nami commanded before she went to the right side of the ship to watch with Usopp. 

“Got it!” 

With careful instructions from the skilled navigator, the Thousand Sunny was able to squeeze itself into the narrow cave. It was the perfect size to be hidden in the cave, and the water was deep enough so the ship didn’t become stranded. Since it was only one entrance/one exit, the ship had limited mobility. However, the discreteness of the cave made the ship invisible to ships passing by. 

The plan stayed the same: Luffy, Usopp, Chopper, Brook, Robin, Sanji, and Nami would go into town to get supplies. Nami would have preferred if the rumbustious captain stayed on the ship, but she knew that would be impossible. Franky and Zoro would stay to protect the ship. If the town was pleasant and safe, Zoro and Franky could drop in to enjoy the town as well. With Thousand Sunny hidden away, the crew didn’t need to worry about rival pirates or marines coming across the ship.

“We’ll see you in a few days, take care you guys,” said Luffy with a large grin. He hosted up his bag that had his food and clothes. “I hope you two can meet us at the town later.”

“Heh, we’ll see you guys in a few days,” Zoro yawned. “We’ll probably meet up at that town eventually.”

“Aow! Here’s to hoping Straw Hat!” Franky smiled and struck his signature pose. “Make sure you guys bring back delicious food and good materials to keep upgrading Thousand Sunny!”

“You can leave that to me Franky,” Usopp added while tossing the ladder down the side of the ship. “Yosh, is everybody ready?” 

“Ready!” Luffy, Brook, and Chopper cheered. With a final farewell, the group of seven were on their way to Florette. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The journey through the landscape had been uneventful for the most part. On the first night, the crew stopped and set up camp. Luffy wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet because he had caught sight of a rabbit. It led to his request for Sanji to cook rabbit for dinner. Luffy pleaded with the chef until he got the response “Catch one, and I’ll cook it.” Sanji thought with the lack of sunlight to see, Luffy would drop the idea and eat the dinner he already had. 

He was wrong.

“That’ll be easy! Usopp, let’s catch rabbit for dinner!”

Luffy looked around until he caught sight of movement in a dried bush. The creature was in view, and Luffy’s mouth started to water. The rabbit was four feet long and looked around ten pounds. It had plenty of meat to feed Luffy. “Usopp, Usopp, look!” Luffy whispered loudly. The sniper adjusted his goggles to see the animal. 

“What a unit,” Usopp whispered back as he prepared his slingshot. Luffy waited beside him, but the rabbit was gone all of a sudden. “Huh?? Where did it--?”

“There!” Luffy pointed. The rabbit was meters away from the original spot. It adjusted its legs, and stung forward at the speed of a bullet. “Ehhh??” 

The rest of the crew were watching the same scene, and they were confused as well. Sanji’s previous stance changed; he wanted them to catch at least one rabbit. He was curious and wanted to try the meat of such a fast creature. 

“Over there!” Luffy pointed to movement in another bush as he and Usopp attempted to hunt. “Gomu gomu no...Pistol!” Luffy’s punch destroyed the bush, but the rabbit ducked the fist and sprung away. “How are they so fast?” 

“Rokuren Mamushi Boshi!” Usopp shot six Kayaku Boshis at the same time that moved in a snake like pattern. The rabbit dodged the attacks, leaving Usopp flabbergasted. 

“Dos Manos: Strangle,” Robin crossed her arms and made two arms appear in order to subdue the animal. The rabbit almost escaped her crushing grasp, except Sanji ran to the animal to deliver the final blow. He lifted his leg to aim at the head. 

“Tête de Lapin,” he muttered as he delivered a quick blow to the head. It was dead from the impact. Sanji picked up the killed hunt and made his way to the camp. Luffy was hopping from foot to foot while Usopp sighed, thankful they were able to get at least one rabbit.

“It took four people to catch one big rabbit,” Nami noted and Robin giggled. 

Usopp tried to make a case for himself, but he huffed instead when he heard Brook laugh and a rabbit nearby spring away at incredible speeds. It was a great catch for the crew. Sanji held the rabbit out, showing how it was a meter long. That night, the crew ate rabbit stew and were able to have an extra meal saved for the future. Tents were set up for sleeping not long after, and the crew rested. 

The second day was uneventful, but Sanji had to stop Luffy from trying to chase after the rabbits at dusk. It would be better to not waste energy. Sanji wasn’t going to waste his breath just because the captain wanted rabbit again. 

“You have food already!”

Even though he wanted to cook wild rabbit meat again, he’d rather get ingredients for the ship. It seemed a little pointless to not have rabbit meat stored for future use. The crew was a little tired by the second night. The landscape wasn’t a hot-and-dry sandy desert like Alabasta was, but it was semiarid. This meant that it was around 21-27 C (70-80 F) in the morning, and evening temperatures were cool at around 10 C (50 F). Everybody was okay in the mornings except for poor Chopper, who was having to fan himself every so often. The problem was mostly the lack of water. The crew had to make sure to ration their water supply. 

The third day was when they saw a glimpse of the town Florette. Nami couldn’t wait to find an inn so they could all shower, but Luffy was ready to explore. He finished off the rest of his water and declared he was going to search through the town first. He ran off before Nami could say anything. She yelled after him, but then she sighed and breathed in.

She was tired, so she wasn’t going to use the rest of her energy to yell at her captain. At the moment, all she wanted was a nice, cool bath.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The town was, well, a town. More important, there was food in the town. The air was filled with spices that coat the back of his throat but were laced with an undeniable sweetness. It melded with the scent of the vegetables the vendors were selling in their stands. The town was perfect or, at least, perfect enough. Then, from afar, Luffy sees someone. They stand in stark contrast against everything else. A blip in the otherwise seamless, flawless disposition of the town. And, he can't help but wonder, "Why are they different?"

In the talkative and bustling little town, there was a deafening silence.

“You there! You look like you have a healthy appetite!”

A man in his late thirties tore Luffy’s gaze away from the stranger. The pirate glanced back and forth between the mysterious person with the cat and the vegetable stand he was being ushered to. Luffy’s eyes decided to remain glued to the greens. His stomach was demanding he ate. Luffy didn’t register everything the man was claiming about the produce, but he heard it was delicious.

“You just have to pay--”

“Oh, I don’t have money. It’s with my crew, shishishi~”

Luffy’s laugh silenced the open mouthed, vegetable salesman. The pirate walked away, gratitude in his voice but with no desire to stay. Luffy made sure to sidestep the frowning salesman and the feuding chef. By the way the chef had grabbed the front of the butcher’s shirt, Luffy knew it was time to leave the area if he was to get any delicious food in his system. 

The mystery person was gone. 

The disruption in the flawless disposition of the town had left, so he left the area. His original goal for delicious food was back in full force.

“Ooh~ This place smells good too~” Luffy’s nose was in the air, eyes closed as he visualized what the food looked like. It was meaty, leafy, spicy, sweet. There were many scents mixing together making his mouth drool. When he opened his eyes, he saw he was in a cafe.

”It smells so good here too...Ah! The mystery person!” Lady luck was on Luffy’s side. The person from before blinked at him, confused by his pointing. “Hey, what are you looking at?” He walked up beside them to look at the flier. “A list of desserts? Those look tasty! Flan, crêpes, daifuku--oh, cotton candy milkshake? Chopper would love that.” Luffy crossed his arms and crooked his head. “Hm, should we eat here? Is there a meat dessert?”

“Pfft...erm...The best desserts are here,” the stranger’s quiet voice pulled Luffy from his musing. That voice was not what Luffy had expected. 

“Huh? Really?” He looked over at them. “You don’t sound like I thought you would.” Luffy didn’t mean to come across as such a blunt person, but it was in his nature. Luffy did not hold his thoughts back. So, when he spoke again, it was his most honest and true feelings. “Shishishi~ You’re pretty cool.”

That was Luffy’s first meeting with (Y/n) and Dotty.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When the rest of the crew was taken to La Petite Source, they were thankful Luffy had found them a cafe/inn. They would get to eat and then rest/wash up/relax. Silvia saw the group approaching, so she had asked them to wait a few seconds in order to arrange a table to accommodate all seven people. After polite introductions and arrangements for rooms, Silvia ignored Sanji’s flirtatious advances, and she shot down Brook’s request to see her panties. 

“Ask me something like that again, and I can easily get the whole town to turn on the pervy skeleton who needs to be exorcised.” 

Luffy didn’t know a smile could look so cold. He also didn’t know skeletons could turn pale. Nami had smacked the musician into the ground and apologized to the annoyed brunette. Everybody was tired but in a happy mood while they sat at their table. Luffy, however, was pouting. He sighed and thanked the kind server when she poured him a glass of water after having taken their orders. 

“Thank you so much, we’ll be going to our rooms after eating. We’re so grateful this is a restaurant and an inn,” Nami said before she glanced over at the pouting Luffy to add, “I apologize for our idiot captain, he knows food takes time to be cooked.”

“It’s alright,” Silvia finished pouring water into the last glass. “You guys traveled through the desert for three days, you must be tired. No worries though, my mother is happy to have guests over and is cooking with gusto.”

“I’m not upset that the food is being cooked,” huffed Luffy as he put his chin to the table. Usopp shook his head, but Chopper crooked his head curious. “I’m upset because there were supposed to be eight of us eating together...no, wait, nine.”

“You mean Franky and the shitty swordsman?” Sanji guessed. 

“No, somebody I met today. They said this place has the best desserts!”

“A local then?” asked Robin.

“Yeah,” Luffy perked up, and he sat up straight. “Their names are (Y/n) and Dotty!” 

“...(Y/n)?!” Silvia was shocked to hear your name come from the black haired stranger. Everybody looked at Silvia confused, but she was focused on Luffy only. “Are you sure their name was (Y/n)? They spoke to you?”

“Uh-huh,” Luffy nodded and smiled. “They had a cat sitting on their shoulder named Dotty.”

“...No way,” Silvia mumbled under her breath, her hand under her chin in the thinking pose. “(Y/n) talked to somebody…”

“Is that so unusual?” Nami asked.

“Ah--well, in a way,” Silvia responded. “They’re very shy, so…” The conversation was cut short when the kitchen doors opened. The chef rolled out the tray holding the crew’s appetizers. Silvia excused herself so she could bring the crew their food. With the food on the table, the crew dropped the previous conversation in favor of getting the mouthwatering food into their stomachs. After everybody had their fill, dessert included, the Strawhat crew went to their respective rooms. 

Nami and Robin were sharing a room, and the other five Strawhats were to share another room. Silvia told them what time meals were prepared and to feel free to ask any questions they had. She bid the guests a goodnight and went back to the cafe. A large party of old men and their wives had just entered the cafe.

“This is a good place you found Luffy,” said Chopper from his spot on the bed. He rolled around so he could enjoy the soft sheets. “The cotton candy milkshake was delicious~” 

“The desserts were great weren’t they? Shishishi~”

Luffy hopped onto the bed beside Chopper, making the doctor squeal in delight as he was launched into the air. He giggled as he fell back down. 

“The desserts were delicious, this mystery person recommended well,” said Sanji as he took a drag of his cigarette and then blew it out the open window. “But there is something important you haven’t really answered Luffy.”

“Hm? What’s that?”

The captain sat up, and then moved to the side when Usopp flopped on the bed as well so Chopper was launched in the air again. Brook chuckled from his spot on the armchair as he watched the three pirates get comfortable on the bed. 

“This mystery person…” Sanji took another drag and then blew it out, letting the smoke dance its way out the window. “Are they a beautiful woman?!”

“Yohoho~ It sounded like you were going to ask something serious Sanji-san.” Brook laughed at the blond man’s glare. 

“Shut up! You’re curious too!”

“Hm….?” Luffy put his finger to his head and thought. The question was a little confusing. The answer was up to interpretation. Beauty is subjective.

Luffy thought you looked cool. You had a feline on your shoulder and were a walking mystery, so coolness was a form of beauty, right? Cool=beautiful? Would Sanji think the same? Some people thought the sunrise was beautiful but others would say sunset is more beautiful. Weren’t they similar? They were both beautiful, couldn’t they agree to that? What about the full moon? It was a different type of beauty, but it was an amazing sight to see still, right?

...What was he thinking about again??

“Ah, Luffy-san’s face is turning red.” Brook pointed out. 

Usopp sat up and cleared his throat. “I have an easier way to ask. Oi, Luffy,” Usopp turned and looked at Luffy to ask, “This person, (Y/n), do they look like Nami, Robin, or Silvia?”

Luffy’s face started to return to its regular shade. He dropped his hand, smiled, and answered with a simple:

“Nope!” 

Usopp gestured to the captain.

“See? Just ask the right question and you’ll get an answer.”

“Geez, what a simple-minded captain,” Sanji sighed disappointed, but then he smiled. “Well it doesn’t matter, Nami-chan and Robin-swan’s beauty is enough. And now, Silvia-chwan makes a trifecta of beauty~ Melody~” 

Usopp sighed and shrugged his shoulders, muttering “You’re the simpleminded one really.” Luffy was lying on his back, staring at the ceiling while ignoring Sanji’s soliloquies about beautiful women. Brook had even joined in with the chef’s silliness. Luffy was too busy wondering one thing through the noise. 

“Will I get to meet them again?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: For a mental picture, the island’s side looks like the Dingli Cliffs of Malta. The rabbits on the island are based on the Flemish Giant rabbit. Absolute units.


	5. The Mystery Plant

Silvia was awake before everybody else at the break of dawn. Her duty as the hostess demanded timeliness, and it was a call she was glad to answer. She wore a dark blue, overall dress and a sunflower yellow button up shirt before she went downstairs. After she put on her chocolate brown boots, she was preparing the cafe along with her mother for the customers.

The day began as usual at La Petite Source.

That morning was refreshing for the Strawhat crew. Their harsh three day trip through the desert was behind them, and they were all well rested. Nico Robin contacted the ship to give Franky and Zoro an update of where they were. Nami had suggested for the crew to stay in the town for three days, so Franky and Zoro would have to wait six more days before seeing them again. 

“If you want to make the trip to this town, you can,” Nami pointed out. “It’s a three day trip to get here, but the town has a calm atmosphere and you can relax. We can stay longer than three days.”

“Huh, fresh meals do sound good,” came the response from a calm voice. “We’ve been reheating food for three days already.”

“Oi, oi, no need to complain. The food Curly Cook made is SUPER hot or cold,” the other crew member stated. “Take your time today, we’ll see if we stop by. Don’t wanna leave Sunny alone in this cave while there’s a Marine Base so close to the town you’re in.”

“That’s a reasonable concern,” Robin looked over at Nami. “How do you think the waters will treat the ship?”

“It’s going to be fine for about five months,” said Nami as she opened the window to allow fresh morning air into the room. “From the pattern against the cliffs, I can tell that the water is receding during this time. The cave will be uncovered for a while so it’s going to be fine. We could stay a while in this town, but let’s not do to that.”

“Aow~ That’s great to hear! You guys have a suuuper time in Florette! I’ll call you with updates from here. Tell Long Nose that I look forward to whatever he ends up buying. Can’t wait to see what amazing inventions he’s got in mind.” Robin smiled at the shipwright’s enthusiasm. 

“Very well, I’ll talk to you soon. Have a good day Franky, Zoro.” 

“Ciao Nico Robin! You too Nee-chan! Oi, say bye, don’t be rude.”

“Huh...? Tch, okay. Bye you two, take care.” With that, the call ended. Robin smiled, and she put away the miniature snail. 

“Do you think the boys will be awake by now?” Robin asked before she headed towards the door. Nami walked up beside her and nodded. The orange haired woman was correct because they both heard Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper’s faint cheers about breakfast. Upon opening the door, the two women were able to smell the food that had roused the boys from their slumber. 

“Smells as good as Sanji’s cooking.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The mid-afternoon was when you were awake, as well as Dotty. The blackout curtains kept the harsh sunlight out, but some sunlight did creep in letting you know you hadn’t woken too late. You yawned and stretched, still feeling a little tired. You massage your forehead to release the tension there; you were still upset about leaving La Petite Source without giving the strawhat wearing pirate a proper explanation. You groaned and ran your hand down your face. 

“Mrow?” Dotty stretched and then hopped up to your bed. She purred when you scratched the side of her face. 

“It’s alright, I’m just feeling anxious. What else is new?”

You crawled out of bed and begin your “morning” routine. You were taught how to take care of your skin by Gabriel, so you continued the steps they taught you. It was a routine you used to do with Gabriel, and it helped make your tiny cottage feel like a home. 

Step 1: Wash your face and use a face cleanser before your shower, and then use toner for your skin. 

Step 2: Put on serum your skin type liked. 

Step 3: Hydrate with moisturizer/sunscreen that protects your skin from the sun. 

After you were finished with steps 1 and 2, you ate breakfast with Dotty. “Let’s go to the waterfall while it’s still warm out. Gotta shower.” The small wildcat meowed to let you know she was finished eating. 

Once you were finished, you put on moisturizer and felt refreshed. You returned to the cottage to set away your items. You decided to give yourself a break from the binder that day. It would be dangerous for your body to use it too often. You wore a sports bra instead. For your outerwear, you wore light-colored cotton clothes that were breathable for the desert. Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt covered your skin, so they were perfect for when the sun was still high in the sky. 

“It’s going to be a little hotter than usual.” 

You parted the curtain to look out the window. The sky held little to no clouds. It was a ‘The trees are the only shade’ kind of day. You knew it would be colder at night, so you went to the drawer to pull out a sweater. You folded it and put it into your shoulder sling backpack. 

You opened the jewelry box that sat on top of the drawer. You pulled out a ring. It was your most cherished jewelry piece. No matter the outfit, you always wore it. It was a wire wrapped stone ring, and it was the first piece of jewelry Gabriel had made for you. The centerpiece was a dark blue stone you had in your hand when you were found. You had been holding it tight, so it had to be important. 

Your picture with Gabriel stared back at you from the opened jewelry box. Your smile strained a little because you were trying to keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed. “Good morning Gabriel. I miss you.”

You walked to the tiny kitchen to pack yourself and Dotty food and water. After you had double checked what you packed, you were ready to leave. You had no actual plans for the day. You had hunted and sold the rabbit meat you needed before, so you didn’t need to take your large bag for the rabbits. You could use the day to relax. 

“Let’s go,” you opened the door, and Dotty trotted out. “I just need to check on the roses, and we’re good to go.” 

Dotty stopped a meter away from your front door and meowed to something in the distance. You weren’t sure what she was making a fuss about until you squint your eyes. Your eyes focused on a lone figure that was accompanied by what looked like a herd of sheep. One particular sheep had large horns protruding from its head. The figure shielded their eyes with their hands in order to get a better look at you before they waved at you. 

“...Signore...Antonio?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“How has your trip through the town of Florette been, Nami?” 

Robin was sitting at a table inside the cafe, enjoying a cup of coffee. The navigator smiled as she held up two bags that contained new purchases. Robin herself had done some window shopping. She had given in and bought a book. “Have you noticed the lovely plants that are in the town?”

“I have,” Nami set her bags down as she took a seat at Robin’s table. “For being so close to a desert, it’s pretty lush among the town.”

“More coffee, Robin-san?” Silvia offered. Robin nodded and held up her cup. As Silvia poured the dark drink, she held up a pitcher of water for Nami. “Water?” She poured the woman a glass of fresh water after she nodded. “Florette is connected to a system of underground streams and a main fountain, so this oasis flourishes despite the desert that’s close by. The town’s charming point is the refreshing feeling it gives off, isn’t it?”

“It is. It would be nice to stay here a while,” Nami sighed. “But we have an island in mind that we’re heading to.”

“The life of a traveler~” Silvia giggled. “By the way, your companions are still in town. I know you’d asked them to be here at this time, but you’re the first ones back.”

“Ahhh, of course. I would be surprised if we weren’t the first ones here honestly.”

Nami took a sip of her water, and thought about the reasons everybody was late. Sanji was checking the food options available to bring back to the ship...as well as flirting with the beautiful women he met along the way. Usopp was getting supplies for Franky but also buying gadgets for his new inventions. Brook and Chopper were accompanying Luffy who wanted to explore. 

“Nami-swan~ Robin-chwan~! I’ve returned with some delicious food for you two~” Sanji entered the cafe with a grocery bag on one arm, and a small bag in his other hand. “I’ve seen the food they have to offer here. Once we leave, I know what I’ll buy to take back to the Sunny.”

“Thank you, Sanji-kun,” Nami took the offered bag and pulled out two mini muffins. She handed one to Robin and then bit into the other one. “I have some places in mind to stop at before leaving too.”

“Oooi, I’m back,” Usopp appeared with bags full of items. “I’ve gotten my shopping out of the way, so I’m going to take these to the room. Ah? Luffy and the others aren’t back yet? We left at the same time.”

“No, not yet,” Sanji took a puff of his cigarette. “Might’ve gotten lost. ”

Just as Sanji said that, four people entered the cafe from different directions. From the left it was Luffy, Chopper, and Brook. From the right, it was a sharp dressed woman with brown skin and medium length coily, black hair. Her rosy pink, flowy pants complemented her cream colored blouse. Blue platform sandals completed her outfit. She went to a table for two by the front desk and set her messenger bag on the table. Before Silvia could head over to her, Sanji was already looking at her with heart eyes. 

“Oooh, beautiful~!” 

The woman blinked at the exclamation and looked up confused. 

“Hm...hello?” She continued her previous action of removing items from her bag. She sat down after she had taken out a notebook, pens, a book, and some plants. “New faces, huh…”

“Doctor, good evening!” Silvia’s eyes lit up and she smiled. She made her way over to the woman, but Sanji was there right alongside her.

“Mademoiselle, such beauty you grace us with--”

“Please don’t interrupt me, I’m working.”

“Ah?” 

“I’m working.”

Sanji blinked, processing the woman’s words. Her straightforward tone and upturned hand that was making a barrier for Sanji not to cross had him frozen in place. She didn’t even make eye contact since she was busy turning a particular looking plant in her hand. 

“I have water for you Doctor Sophia,” Silvia continued as if Sanji was not there. 

The two women exchanged pleasantries while Luffy, Chopper, and Brook walked up to the rest of the crew. Silvia went on to tell the doctor about the new guests staying in the inn upstairs. Sophia looked up and nodded in the direction of the Strawhats. Unfortunately, she drew the attention of a pervy skeleton.

“Yohoho~ Mademoiselle, may I see your panties?” 

“You’re a skeleton.”

“I’m Brook and I ate the Yomi Yomi no Mi, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“You can see them if I’m allowed to cut you open, see how you tick.” Sophia put the plant down and shot Brook a bored glare. “Maybe keep your head in a jar to figure you out.”

“Y-Yohohoho, so scary!” Brook brought a hand up to his throat, but Luffy laughed at the situation. 

“That’s twice I’ve seen Brook somehow pale, haha~” 

“M-Melody…” 

Sanji muttered dejected at being ignored, blue lines of sadness appearing on his head. Nami rolled her eyes and called out to him with a fake-sweet voice. She said she wanted to talk about budgeting and food items, but it was an excuse to get Sanji back to their group. Sanji’s mood flipped to lovestruck-happiness when he made his way to the table Nami and Robin were at. Doctor Sophia returned to her task of investigating the plant from before. 

“What do you have there, Doctor?” asked Silvia.

“It’s a new plant I haven’t seen before. Your uncle’s sheep would chew on it, but then spit it out. (Y/n) saw them chewing it and asked if I knew what it was, so I’m trying to identify it.”

“Ah! (Y/n)?” 

Luffy, suddenly at the table with Sophia and Silvia, made both women jolt at his speed. The doctor nodded and asked how he knew your name. “I met them yesterday. They were going to eat with my crew here, but left before we all got here. Do you know where they are?” 

“Are you sure it was (Y/n)?”

“Yes, he said Dotty was on their shoulder.” Silvia assured. “I found it hard to believe too. He’s been using their proper pronouns, so I do think (Y/n) introduced themselves.” Luffy crooked his head confused at Silvia’s statement. The server noticed his confusion and ventured, “(Y/n) goes by they/them pronouns. They told you, right?”

“Nah! They kinda just gave that energy, I guess? It’s good to know though, so thanks!”

“Excuse me,” a small voice interrupted. The two women looked to the side to see the Strawhat’s doctor by the table. “What’s that you’re holding? It smells interesting.” 

“I...I don’t know?” The doctor leaned over, fascinated by the reindeer. “Who are you?”

“I’m Tony Tony Chopper, and I’m a reindeer. I ate the Hito Hito no Mi. I’m the Strawhats’ doctor!” The reindeer introduced himself, and Luffy crouched beside him to pat his back. He complimented the doctor on his introduction. “That doesn’t make me happy at all~ You asshole~” Chopper sang while doing his wiggly dance. 

Sophia and Silvia both thought the exact same thought: _He’s so cuuuute!_

“Ah! Before I forget, that plant smells kind of like spearmint? Flowery and spearmint?”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Sophia brought the plant close to her nose. “If I had a stronger nose, maybe I could sniff them out and find more. But alas, the human nose can only do so much.” She held the plant out for Chopper and Luffy to sniff at. 

“Smells good~”

The doctor had a lightbulb moment. 

“Wait, could you maybe do me a favor? From one doctor to the next? I believe this plant has potential healing properties, so could you use your nose to find some more in the desert? I’ll share my findings with you of course.” Sophia glanced outside. “So would you consider going on this treasure hunt?”

“You want me to look for that plant?”

“Yes please. (Y/n) could only get me this sample because the sheep they were watching over ate the rest. If I can get a small biodome growing, I can get this plant to grow and show us what it can do. If the sheep were chewing on it, there must be a reason.” 

“Sounds interesting, doesn’t it Chopper? Let’s go explore and see what we can find.” Chopper thought for a second before he nodded and agreed to follow Sophia’s request. He was curious about what the plant’s healing properties could be. “Oooi, I’m going to go explore the desert with Chopper!” Luffy called out to his crew. “Could I have food and water to take with me? I need meat so I can have the energy to explore.”

“I’ll have a bento ready for you in a few minutes,” Silvia said with a smile. She didn’t think Luffy would be lacking in any energy for adventure. 

She poured Doctor Sophia a glass of water before she went to the kitchen to inform her mother about Luffy’s request. While the food was being packed, Madame Garreaux hummed in amusement at being able to cook a variety of foods for the new guests. Sophia told Chopper about her current findings on the plant, and Luffy was given a time to return to the inn so he wouldn’t be late for dinner by the crew. Silvia was out from the kitchen with two meals wrapped. A meat heavy bento for Luffy and a vegetarian bento for Chopper. 

“We’ll be back later! Bye bye!” 

Chopper and Luffy bid their farewells as they headed to the desert. Chopper transformed into his Walk Point so it would be easier to walk through the rocky terrain. 

“I’m not too surprised the captain still wants to explore despite having explored most of the town today,” Brook chuckled while sipping on water. “I wonder if he’ll have better luck tomorrow finding this (Y/n) person?”

Luffy and Chopper were getting closer to the outskirts of the town, when they passed by a man with rusty-brown hair and a bushy beard. He had brown, dusty pants and a loose blue shirt. He tilted his wide brimmed strawhat to Luffy and Chopper when they passed him. “Good day, I hope you have plenty of energy to go into the desert.”

“You bet I do,” Luffy replied as he walked backwards to face the man after walking past him. “I’m going on a plant treasure hunt!”

“Hahaha! That’s the spirit!” The middle aged man laughed. He waved to Luffy and Chopper and wished them luck on their quest. From there, the man walked and passed building after building. He had one place in mind to stop at, so the street vendor’s bountiful crops were no distraction to him.

The shepherd reached his destination. He looked up at the cafe’s name before he passed the patio to enter. “Silvia! Your Zio is here to visit!”

“Zio Antonio?” Silvia moved away from the front desk to greet the man. “Zio! It’s so good to see you, how are you?”

“In good health, mia nipote,” The man extended his arms to hug his niece. He gave her a bear hug, and they both laughed. “I’m stopping by for a few days, it’s been a long time since I took a break from wandering through Zermatt.”

“And the sheep?”

“With (Y/n) of course!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You half-opened your eyes, but you closed them again. You were feeling relaxed and well rested after your break. 

_I need to practice my forms some more,_ you tried to reason with yourself so you would get up. You knew you needed to practice your martial art forms daily. _But I did pretty okay today, so maybe a couple of more minutes. This shade feels so niiiice~._

You yawned as you snuggled more into the tall, dry grass under the tree. You opened an eye to peak at the sheep shuffling around you. Antonio’s herd was well behaved, so you weren’t worried about them causing trouble. Dotty was keeping an eye on them, and the herd’s male, Cesar, was a strong and protective sheep leader.

The sheep were fluffy like the usual sheep one would think of when they hear the word “sheep”, but Antonio’s sheep were Zermatt Sheep. Their wool was shorter and light brown, plus the male and female sheep had horns. The male’s horns were larger and curled. 

Antonio cared for the herd, so he could collect the wool that was fireproof and gather the ewe’s milk. The herd allowed themselves to be tamed. Having a shepherd meant they could travel throughout the island without worrying about predators. It was a win-win. You were a little surprised at how comfortable the sheep were around Dotty. She was one of their natural predators. You guessed it was because Dotty had no killing intention towards them, so they were calm.

_I’ll take them to another spot soon. There’s shade elsewhere too. Just a few more minutes._ You closed your eyes and napped again. 

There was a shuffle in the grass a few feet away from you. Your eyes move behind your still closed eyelids. You wondered if you were dreaming as you heard Cesar bleat at somebody. 

“I’m not here to take anybody!” You heard an agitated voice yell at the herd’s male. It was a youthful and childish voice, so you thought it was a kid from the town. You heard another voice chuckle and they said, “Is this a tiny goat? Shishi~” Cesar bleated again as he shoved the stranger away from a baby Zermatt Sheep. “Gah! You’re an asshole…”

“Mrow…?”

“Ah? Dotty?”

The stranger’s voice sounded familiar. 

You sat up when you heard footsteps approaching your spot. You were face to face with a reindeer wearing a pink hat that had a white X on it. The blue nose creature looked surprised to see you, and they were sweating a little in the shock of your sudden appearance. Before the reindeer could do anything, you smiled and brought your hands to the sides of his face. 

“Hi, hello~ You’re so lovely~”

You assumed you were dreaming because there was no way a reindeer would be in the desert.

Chopper didn’t have time to be embarrassed by your compliments. You were scratching the perfect spots on his face. In your half asleep state, you didn’t notice that Luffy was pushing Cesar back by the horns. He stopped his scuffle with Cesar to look over at you. You were unaware of how Luffy was transfixed by the carefree and loving smile you had on your face as you pet Chopper. 

At that moment, Luffy realized he wanted to see you smile like that again. 

In his distraction, Luffy didn’t notice how Cesar had moved back in order to run at him at full force. “OOOF!” The strawhat pirate fell back, but he did backrolls in order to take the fall and stand up again. Luffy held his chest, right on the spot the horned sheep had hit him. 

“C-Cesar,” you rubbed your eyes to make sure you were awake. Chopper blinked and shook his head. He had been enjoying the pats so much that he’d forgotten about the animal that was pissed at their intrusion. Chopper watched as you reach for your bag to pull out a carrot. You stood up and walked over to the furious sheep. 

Cesar had flared his nose and positioned himself to run at Luffy again, but you waved the orange vegetable in front of his face. The sheep followed the carrot, having forgotten his anger. You then sternly, but lovingly, smacked the sheep on his nose with the pointy vegetable.

“Stop it.”

Cesar bleated at you, but you rolled your eyes. “Your herd isn’t even watching you show off.” You pointed with the carrot to the ewes. You were right. Cesar’s mouth fell open when he saw how his herd was eating grass, ignoring his fight. You plopped the carrot into the grumpy sheep’s mouth and watched him sulk back to the ewes. 

“L-Luffy! Are you okay?” The reindeer asked as he ran to Luffy and transformed into a bipedal animal. You rubbed your eyes again to make sure you weren’t dreaming. The reindeer had transformed into a walking, talking plush toy? “Doctor, we need a doctor---wait that’s me!”

“I’m okay Chopper,” Luffy dusted himself off and pat his chest. “It’s a good thing I’m a rubberman, I think he wanted to break my bones!”

_Rubberman?_ You wondered. _A Devil Fruit user? Is the reindeer a Devil Fruit user too?_ When Luffy pulled at his cheek to show its stretchiness, you got your answer to the first question. 

“A hit like that would’ve cracked your sternum,” Chopper sighed, thankful his captain was laughing the situation off. It meant he was fine. You, however, flinched at the idea of how Luffy could have gotten hurt. “The sheep thinks I’m here to woo the ewes away from him. I just wanted to ask them a question.”

“Yeah, where to find the mystery plant?” 

_Mystery plant…? Does he mean **that** plant?_

When Luffy’s eyes locked with yours, his whole demeanor beamed. “(Y/n)! Thank you for stopping the mad goat!” He walked up to you, but you looked down embarrassed. You didn’t think you would meet him again so soon, so you weren’t sure what to say. “Ah, why did you suddenly leave yesterday? You were going to eat with me and my crew. You and Dotty.” He pointed to the cat perched on a tall rock. Dotty meowed from her spot.

“I’m...I’m really sorry,” you muttered. “I couldn’t stay.”

“Hmmm...okay! I forgive you. You couldn’t stay, but there’ll be a next time.”

“Huh? Um...thank you.” You looked up, surprised at the young man’s quick acceptance. 

“I’m really happy to see you again, I was really worried I wouldn’t.” Luffy nodded and crossed his arms, a thoughtful expression on his face. “When I was exploring the town, I was hoping I’d get the chance to come across you.”

_Why did you want that? Was it because you wanted to know the reason I left? But you haven’t even asked, you just accepted my response…_ You remembered you had on a sports bra instead of your binder. You crossed your arms and shrunk away from the pirate at the realization. Luffy hummed confused before a lightbulb went off on his head.

“Oh! I almost forgot, Chopper!” Luffy called out to the plushie looking reindeer. “This is the person that told me about the inn. Their name is (Y/n). (Y/n), this is my ship’s doctor, Chopper.” When Luffy heard Dotty’s distant meow, he added, “And that’s their cat, Dotty!”

“I heard Doctor Sophia talking about you with Silvia-san.” Chopper politely bowed. “It’s nice to meet you, (Y/n)-san!”

“It’s nice to meet you too...” 

You were flabbergasted. The doctor didn’t say anything or think twice about how Luffy introduced you. Was Luffy’s crew like him? So accepting? The idea of his crew being like him had you wonder what could have happened had you stayed in the cafe. Before any what-ifs invaded your mind, Dotty walked over to you and rubbed against your legs. You smiled and picked the cat up to hold her in your arms where she purred satisfied. 

“Oh, um, you said you wanted to ask the herd a question...you can talk to animals?” You asked Chopper in order to change the subject. The doctor nodded. 

“I’m Tony Tony Chopper, and I’m a reindeer who ate the Hito Hito no Mi. I may talk and walk on two legs because of it, but I can still talk to animals.” 

“I see,” you looked down at the wildcat in your arms. “Can the animals understand humans when we talk to them?”

“Ah, animals can’t understand human speech, but sometimes they can _feel_ what a person wants to say. Since I’m a reindeer, I don’t have that barrier and can talk to them.” Chopper explained. “I wanted to ask one of the sheep where to find this plant and what it’s for.” 

Chopper reached into his blue backpack and pulled out a small green plant. The stem was square-shaped and the green leaves were rough and veiny with little specks of purple and blue. You immediately recognized it. 

“The mystery plant,” you whispered. You hummed before saying, “Wait one second please.”

You walked away with Dotty climbing onto your shoulder. You approached a pregnant ewe that was nodding off after having eaten enough grass. You patted her head to wake her. The ewe stirred confused at being awoken. When she saw it was you, she stood up and followed you back to where Luffy and Chopper were waiting. “This is Lily, you can try asking her.”

Chopper nodded and he stepped forward with the plant. Before he could utter a sentence--he got to say “Um,”--, Lily sniffed the plant and ate it.

“....THE MYSTERY PLANT!” Luffy and Chopper yelled in disbelief as their eyes bulged and their mouths dropped open. 

You closed your eyes and ran a hand down your face. You could not understand animals, but you could _feel_ how Dotty was laughing at the situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to quickly add that I have a Wattpad by the same name, desertspells. I use neat paintings to add to the story ^^'


	6. New Friend

You were pinching the bridge of your nose as you tried to mask your annoyance. 

You weren’t sure if you should get onto Lily for having eaten the only plant you were able to get for Doctor Sophia or if you should tell Luffy to stop trying to pry the pregnant ewe’s mouth open. The plant was already mush in her mouth, so it was pointless trying to salvage it. Chopper was standing still with tears comically falling down his cheeks as he held up the tiny, leftover stem of the mysterious plant. He sniffled. 

“Doctor Sophia’s plant…How am I going to go back without it?” 

“Give it back.” Luffy grumbled while he tried, and failed, to open Lily’s mouth. 

The ewe glared at the strawhat wearing pirate. She chewed faster, and as she did her mouth started to foam. Luffy let go of Lily in surprise. What was happening? You, on the other hand, watched the sheep’s mouth with a bored expression. The ewe gurgled and then spit the foam onto the floor. 

It was exactly as you had seen before. 

“Meeeh!” Lily grinned, showing off her teeth. “Meeeh, meh.”

“Eh? Clean now?” repeated the doctor.

“What’s clean?” asked Luffy.

“It’s what Lily said,” Chopper explained. “What do you mean ‘clean now’?” Lily began talking to Chopper, but you and Luffy had no idea what she was saying. You both shrugged at each other. It all sounded like ‘Meh meeh’ to you. Chopper nodded and hummed when he processed her words. “Ehhh? It sounds like...toothpaste?”

“Toothpaste?” Echoed you and Luffy.

“Uh-huh. Lily says ‘These plants help our mouths feel fresh and clean. You chew them, and then after it foams, you spit it out. Your teeth are clean afterwards' It sounds like the sheep use the plants like toothpaste.”

_Ooooh, that explains why they don’t eat it._ You tilted your head. _It’s a natural toothpaste. No wonder their teeth are so clean!_

“Where can we get more of that mystery plant?” Luffy asked and he crossed his arms. “If we can’t take back the original plant, then maybe we can take back a new one.”

Chopper asked the ewe the same question, but her response was less than desired: She had no idea. 

The plant tended to appear at random, so the sheep would take advantage of chewing it up whenever they came across it. It was hard to find, but easy to smell. If the sheep were able to move onto a new plot of land, maybe they could get the scent of a new batch. You looked up at the sky and noticed the sun receding to the west. You thought it would be a good time to usher the sheep to a new location. Without saying a word, you walked over to Lily and pat her head. She began following you when you made your way to the herd. Dotty jumped off your shoulder at your signal to start herding the large sheep. 

“Allé, allé!” 

You ushered the sheep to follow your lead. Dotty was going around making sure the younger sheep were close to the main herd, and you walked over to the tree you had been napping under. You grabbed your bag and your wooden staff. You counted the sheep while you unified them. 

“Luffy-san, Chopper-san. Would you want to go with us to a new spot?” You gestured to the east. “I can’t promise that I’ll find the mystery plant again, but maybe we can come across a patch.” 

“That’s a great idea!” Luffy grinned. “We can stop and eat our bentos too. Let’s go, Chopper. We’re still on a treasure hunt, shishi~”

The journey onwards was quiet. You only said “Allé!” when you needed to encourage the sheep to keep walking. You kept a certain amount of distance from Luffy and Chopper--who were doing a good job of keeping pace with the herd. Chopper had turned back into his reindeer form so he could walk with the herd’s pace. Dotty meowed to let you know you were closing in on the usual spot you took the herd at the end of your shepherding duties. 

Signore Antonio would meet you there since it was close to Florette Town. The meeting place was easy to find because it was at a specific looking tree. It was 10 meters (33 ft) tall, thorny with gnarled trunks, and a wide spreading crown. The leaves were small, long, and oval with a rounded apex. The branches leaned towards the ground making it climbable. The cliff where the tree was growing at gave you a spectacular overview of Florette. 

“Oooh! I can see the whole town from here.” Luffy marveled at the view. Florette was a beautiful town to look at, you had to admit. 

“Yeah, it's--” the reindeer froze. “That smell!” Chopper sniffed the air and then moved his nose to the ground. “I smell it, it’s close by, somewhere…” A gust of wind wafted the scent towards Chopper again, but it also signaled to Cesar where the plant was. 

“Meeeh!” Cesar shouted to the ewes and began running opposite of you. 

“He’s found the mystery plants!” 

You knew if the herd made it to the plants, there wouldn’t be any left for you to grab for Doctor Sophia. 

“Dotty!” 

The wildcat’s attention was on you. You extended your arm up and then brought it down to signal it towards the male sheep. Dotty bolted towards Cesar at an incredible speed. Luffy and Chopper’s mouths dropped as the cat jumped up to smack the sheep on his head. Dotty was almost as fast as the rabbits they had seen in the desert. 

Cesar fell to the ground, his eyes swirls of confusion. You grinned, proud of Dotty’s growing understanding of your nonverbal commands. 

“That’s awesome, Dotty!” Luffy cheered, and Chopped followed suit by clapping. 

You made your way past the sheep who was nursing the growing bump on his head to get to the small patch. You picked up the plant, but you made sure to gather three with the roots still attached. You plucked one to give to Cesar because he was stomping his hoof in a fit. When you plopped the plant in his mouth, his mood improved. 

“Thank you, (Y/n)-san,” Chopper smiled when you handed him the minty smelling plant. He transformed into his smaller form so he could put the plant away in his backpack. “There, this way it isn’t crushed, and Doctor Sophia can plant it in a biodome.” 

“Woohoo~ We got the plant treasure, now let’s eat!” Luffy flashed a victory sign with his fingers. “Let’s eat under the shade. (Y/n), Let’s eat together.”

“Oh, um. Just a snack.” 

While the herd went to graze on the new grass and chew on the mystery plant, you set your staff down and sat under the shade with Luffy and Chopper. Dotty was curled up in your lap, enjoying the comfortable spot. She dozed off as you snacked on cheese and crackers. You noticed Luffy and Chopper had bentos that were opposites from each other. Chopper’s dish was leafy and sweet while Luffy’s was meaty and savory. 

You wondered if the two of them would be comfortable in the desert despite the shade you were all under. Chopper wasn’t built for the heat, and Luffy didn’t have the proper clothes to protect his skin. 

“Shay, (Y/n)?” Luffy muttered through his full mouth. He swallowed. “What are you doing in the desert? Are you always out here with the sheep? Is that why I didn’t see you in the town?”

“I don’t live in Florette,” you replied. You stuffed another cheese cube into your mouth, apprehensive to continue. You chewed it and glanced over the cliff to see the town. “I only visit sometimes, I don’t like staying long. As for the herd, it’s not mine.”

“They’re not? Whose are they?”

“Friend’s uncle.”

“I see. Well, I got lucky in finding you in the desert.”

“Friend’s uncle...uncle. Ah! Silvia’s uncle?” Chopper remembered how the doctor had mentioned getting the plant from you because you saw the sheep chewing it. The sheep that belonged to Silvia’s uncle. 

“Signore Antonio is probably visiting La Petite Source right now to see Silvia. He’ll stay a while to eat too, the cafe is a nice place. ”

“Yup, it’s a really nice place. The meat is delicious and so are the desserts,” Luffy leaned back with a satisfied sigh. You noticed he had finished his bento. He stretched his arms above his head and turned to smile at you. “Hey, (Y/n), wanna go on an adventure?” 

“....Hah?” 

“I wanna go explore, let’s explore together!” You could only look at Luffy with a dumbfounded expression as he brought his arms down to his lap. He was somebody who was a little impulsive, wasn’t he?

“You can’t Luffy.” Chopper rewrapped his now empty bento. Luffy pouted at him, but the reindeer continued. “We’re supposed to go back to eat dinner with everybody, remember?”

“Ehhh? But I just found (Y/n), I wanna stay here.” Luffy crossed his arms. “I can wait for dinner.”

“....YOU CAN??” Chopper’s eyes bulged, and you blinked. You were confused at his visceral reaction to Luffy’s words. It must be rare for Luffy to wait for dinner.

“Luffy-san,” you spoke up, and Luffy gave you his full attention. “I think it’s best if you wait to explore the desert.” You tugged at your sleeve, showing the length of it. “You’ll need better attire for the climate. It’s going to get colder soon.” 

Right after your words, a chilled breeze swept by. Luffy was still for a moment before he wrapped his arms around himself. 

“Gaaah! It’s chilly suddenly!” 

“We went through the desert for three days! How did you forget??” Chopper sighed. “When the sun sets, it gets cooler fast.”

“Florette’s temperature feels pleasant because of all the shade available and its position on the land. They’ll have clothes that’s weather appropriate for a desert though. Silvia will know good places for you to buy new clothes,” you explained.

“I see, I see,” Luffy hummed. “Yosh, when I get the right clothes, then I can go through the desert.” You nodded. “I’ll be prepared for when the temperature changes.” You nodded again. “And I can travel with you.” You nodded before you realized what he had said.

“W-Wait, what?”

“If you can’t’ stay in the town, I’ll come see you in the desert,” stated Luffy as if it were the most obvious solution in the world. “I want to travel through the desert with you.” You felt yourself start to blush, so you looked down. What was he going on about?

“Luffy! You can’t suddenly ask that from (Y/n)-san. They have their own things to do anyways.”

“Ehhh?...Really?” Luffy looked dejected, and you started to feel bad. It didn’t help when he looked at you with puppy eyes that could compete with actual puppies. “You’ll be too busy? I won’t be in your way, I promise. I’ll wait another day...”

“Ah, well, just--uh,” 

You stumbled over your words, fidgeted with your hands, and screamed in your mind. _What do I do? What do I do?! I wanna make it up to him for having suddenly left, but is showing him the dry landscape interesting enough? Ahhhh why are you looking at me with such hopeful eyes?!_

“T-Tomorrow?” You mumbled. Luffy leaned forward, listening to your quiet words. “I can meet you here tomorrow. So...does four o’clock sound okay? I’ll be your tour guide.”

“Yahoo! Yes!” Luffy threw his arms in the air and smiled. “I’ll get to see you again. Thank you, (Y/n)! Let’s have fun tomorrow.”

When the sun had set, Luffy and Chopper headed back to the town. They waved goodbye to you as they departed. You waved back and leaned against the tree. Dotty climbed one of its many branches, meowing at you to join her. You reached over to pet her soft coat and found a comfortable branch to sit at. You were going to stay at the tree until Antonio arrived to pick up the sheep. He would take his herd to the barn on his property in Florette. 

“Tomorrow,” you whispered as you looked at the sky. “...Why did I agree to that?” You closed your eyes. 

You couldn’t find a reason other than the fact you enjoyed the Strawhat pirate’s presence. He reminded you of sunshine. A kind, warm aura. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Chopper and Luffy returned to La Petite Source, they passed Signore Antonio on his way out. He tipped his hat to the two when he walked by them. Inside the cafe, there were some customers already eating their dinner. The Strawhat crew were already seated, and they waved the captain and doctor down. 

“Come on over you two,” said Usopp. “We’ve already ordered drinks and appetizers. Hurry up and choose your dinners.”

“Hai~” Luffy sat down and grabbed the eating utensils. He tapped the fork and knife together enthusiastically. “Let’s eat! Let’s eat~”

“Did Doctor Sophia leave?” asked Chopper when he sat on his chair. He didn’t transform into his human form because Silvia had gotten him thick pillows for his chair so he could eat. “I need to give her the mystery plant. Well, new ones since one of the sheep ate the original one.”

“She said she’d be back tomorrow,” Robin assured. “The doctor was whisked away for a medical check up. The baker’s wife is close to giving birth, so he asked the doctor to give an impromptu check-up when he saw she was here.”

“I see. I hope the check-up was easy with no complications.”

“The original plant was eaten?” Sanji asked after he drank some water. “What happened?”

“We meet Silvia-san’s uncle’s sheep.” Chopper explained. “I tried asking one of the ewes what the plant was for...but then she ate it.”

“Yup!” Luffy set the fork and knife down. “(Y/n) was watching over them. I got lucky since I didn’t see them in town today. I’m going to visit them tomorrow.” 

“Hi, welcome back you two,” Silvia approached the table with a notepad in hand. “Oh, Chopper-san, Sophia said she’d come by tomorrow at before noon. She hopes you were lucky and found some more plants, but she understands if that’s not the case.” 

“We were really lucky actually,” Chopper smiled at the innkeeper’s confused expression. “We came across a patch of them.”

“Yeah, (Y/n) got some mystery plants before the sheep tried to eat it.”

“You saw them?” Silvia’s confusion only grew. “They’re usually so elusive.”

“We came across your uncle’s herd, and that’s when we met (Y/n).” Chopper explained. 

“A sheep with big horns ran at me, but then (Y/n) stopped him with a carrot when he tried to attack me again. We walked with them while they were herding the sheep, and then we ate under a tree together. I’m going to see them again tomorrow. Can I have a bento again for walking outside the town? Oh! (Y/n) said I could ask you about clothes for the heat. Where can I get clothes?”

“...”

“...Ah? Silvia?” Luffy crooked his head at the young woman’s stunned silence. Silvia’s agape mouth had the crew look among themselves. She closed her mouth and took a deep breath in. 

“Who...who are you?” she muttered as she ran a hand through her hair.

“Hm?”

“Sorry, I just--” Silvia shook her head and smiled. “I’ll admit, I’m a little stunned at what you’re telling me. (Y/n) talking to a stranger is one thing, but agreeing to meet you again is something else.” 

“Your friend is usually a lot more timid, huh?” Nami ventured. “I’m sure they’re being polite. Luffy here is pretty persistent when he’s curious about something or someone.” Silvia raised a skeptical eyebrow. “A-Ah, but I assure you he isn’t somebody that’ll make your friend uncomfortable, _right_ Luffy?” Nami sent her captain a pointed glare, which made him sweat a little. 

Luffy quickly nodded. He didn’t want her to get mad at him for something he didn’t understand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’m back my beautiful, little lambs!” 

Antonio greeted his herd with open arms. The sheep all stood up and bleated at their shepherd. You stopped halfway from bringing your bo staff down, freezing in your current form. You stood up straight to nod at the approaching man. “Practicing your forms I see. Did you have a good day? I hope the sheep were well behaved.”

You thought about it, hummed, and then did a “so-so” motion with your hand.

“Who misbehaved? Wait, let me guess...Cesar?” You nodded. “I think he’s being extra aggressive since it was mating season for the sheep a while ago. What did he do?” 

“He attacked somebody visiting the town.” You sighed and frowned at the memory of Chopper’s concerning words. A cracked sternum. You would’ve been horrified. “Thankfully he wasn’t badly hurt. I should’ve been awake to stop Cesar. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize my quiet friend. The good thing is that this person is alive and well, correct?” You smiled and nodded. “I only hope that this stranger doesn’t hate the sheep for Cesar’s behavior. I also hope you had a good day today, even if Cesar here is being a bastard.”

“Meeeh!” 

The sheep in question huffed and threw his head in the air. He didn’t care about your conversation chastising him. He was content with his actions of the day. 

“...Good day,” you muttered as you smiled at Antonio. Dotty hopped from her spot on the tree to land on your shoulder. You turned your face towards her so she could nuzzle to you. 

“Oh ho? Do say, what good thing happened today?”

You grinned and replied, “Might’ve made a new friend.”


	7. Tour Guide

You woke a little earlier than usual. You wondered why, but then you realized you were going to meet with Luffy. Your body must have adjusted itself to be ready for the day. You sat up and stretched, waking Dotty up. The wildcat looked around with squinted eyes and then meowed confused. You pat her until she relaxed and fell asleep again. You wanted to give her some extra time to sleep. There was no reason for her to be awake earlier just because you were. 

_I wonder if saying I have a new friend was a bit much_, you thought as you prepared your breakfast. 

Signore Antonio had been delighted at the news that you had met some new people yesterday. He told you he recognized who you were talking about because he had passed him on his way to pick up his sheep. 

_I mean, I hope Luffy-san thinks of me as a potential friend...Right now, I’m just a tour guide._ You paused and realized you were fine with the idea of talking to Luffy while you were his guide. _It’s probably because I’ll be far from the town. I’m surprised I talked so much yesterday._

You heard faint meowing when you were finished preparing your breakfast. You smiled and crouched down to pet the sleepy cat. “Good morning pretty girl. Are you ready to be a tour guide?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I’ll be back later, I’m gonna go see my new friend. Byeeee!” 

Luffy made his way to the front of the cafe, backpack on his back. Nami reached out to grab his cheek before he was gone. The captain’s cheek stretched a few feet before he stopped and looked back at the navigator. “Waat??”

“Luffy, I need you to listen very carefully.” Nami walked up to her captain, his cheek still in her hand. The rest of the crew watched from their table as Nami stared Luffy down. “Do not, and I mean this, **do not** do anything to trouble this person, understood?” 

The captain crooked his head confused, and Nami sighed. She grabbed both of Luffy’s cheeks and pulled them while pinching them. A little pain was bound to make their idiot captain listen, right? “This (Y/n)-san is somebody important to our gracious host, Silvia-san. Do not do anything to upset them, got it?” 

“H-Hai,” Luffy responded with a wince. “I jush wanna goh on an afenchur.” _I just wanna go on an adventure._

“Behave,” Nami said with a note of finality before she pulled Luffy’s cheeks and then let them snap back into place. Luffy held his face while giving Nami a pout. “You know what time to come back. We’ll be here for dinner so we’ll see you then.”

“Okay~” Luffy grinned and made his way out the front. Nami sighed as she placed a hand on her hip. She hoped her captain stayed out of trouble, but she knew to expect it. One could hope though. One could only hope.

“Do you want to be taken to the edge of town, Luffy?” Robin asked before Luffy was gone. The captain’s sense of direction wasn’t the worst--that title went to the crew’s swordsman--but it was rather terrible. He stopped to hum in thought, so Robin added. “You don’t want to be late, do you captain?”

“Ah, okay! Just to the edge. I know where I’m meeting (Y/n).”

Luffy walked with an extra bounce in his step, and Robin took notice. She smiled seeing how her captain was comfortable in his new clothes, and he was ready for the heat. His bento and water containers were secured in this bag, so Luffy was ready for wherever you decided to take him. 

“Now where is that tree?” Luffy squinted his eyes to adjust his vision once he was at the edge of town. Luffy looked around to memorize the area, so he could go on his own next time. “Thank you for bringing me here, Robin. I’ll look for the tree that I’m meeting (Y/n) at on my own.” 

“Understood. Have a fun day, Luffy.” Robin giggled when Luffy grinned and waved goodbye to her as he walked backwards into the desert. She watched the captain walk on, and she made a mental note to learn what she could about the new town. If the mystery person named (Y/n) had Luffy so excited for an adventure, the crew might stay on the island a little longer. 

Might as well be prepared for anything the town might throw at her beloved crew. 

Luffy kept his vision turned upwards while he walked through the dry land. He remembered how the view from before let him look over the town, so he walked while looking at the tall cliff sides he passed by. He finally spotted the cliff which had the unique looking tree the three of you had sat under. “Ah! Is it there?” Luffy ran closer to the cliff and prepared his arms. “Gomu gomu no…!”

While you were waiting for Luffy by the tree, you did not expect to be startled. You were relaxing with a book in hand under the tree’s shade. Dotty maneuvered through the tree’s branches, swatting at the leaves or whatever insect happened to be buzzing by. You both jolted, however, when Luffy flew by overheard. You heard his “ROCKET!! AH! I overshot it!” before he landed on the other side of the tree. You set your book down to run over to him.

“Are you okay?!” 

“Ahaha~ Yup! I’m a-okay.” Luffy dusted himself and flashed a wide smile. You breathed a sigh of relief, thankful he wasn’t limping or anything from his landing. “Yosh, I’m ready to go wherever you wanna go.”

“Oh, sure?” 

He was just going to brush off flying by overhead then. 

You walked to the tree to grab your book, your backpack, and Dotty. You set her on your backpack instead of your shoulder, so she had room to curl up and nap if she wanted to. When you walked back to Luffy, you nodded to him and gestured to the desert. “Please follow me.”

You weren’t sure about what to show Luffy. You had agreed to be a guide, but what was there to show in the dry landscape? Would he enjoy the natural beauty of the island? Did he want to hunt? You realized you should’ve found out what he liked before going into the desert. What would be a good thing to show Luffy? One thing came to mind. You hoped he would like it as much as you did. 

“Luffy-san?”

“Yeah? Ah, you can just call me Luffy.”

“Okay. Would you be okay walking a while?”

“You bet!” Luffy answered. You thought your journey would be a quiet one, but Luffy surprised you when he walked up beside you to ask questions instead. “Oi, (Y/n), do you use a staff? I remember you carrying one when herding the sheep. Can you fight?”

“...Defensive fighting,” you responded cautiously. You put your hand in your pocket, feeling the collapsible metal staff there. “I was taught to defend myself while also protecting an attacker from injury. So...some might not see it as _fighting._” You felt your face start to heat up and it wasn’t from the sun’s rays. “It probably sounds counter intuitive.”

“Ehh? It’s kinda odd I guess?” Luffy crossed his arms and looked up at the sky. “It’s odd to me because I’ve only ever known fighting to take somebody down.” You continued looking ahead, expecting him to drop the subject. “So when you fight, you’re really nice about it.”

“...Wait, what?” 

That was an unexpected response.

“Ahh, I’d worry,” Luffy uncrossed his arms and scratched the back of his head. “Makes me want to make sure you’re safe. People can be really mean ya know?” You looked over at the pirate with a confused expression as he continued his important points. “Don’t be too nice when fighting, go ahead and beat them to a pulp if they’re trying to hurt you.” You almost stopped walking in surprise. What was he talking about? “If you can’t be mean, I’ll beat them to a pulp for you then!”

“I...Thank you?”

“You’re welcome!”

_What in the hell is he talking about??_ You wondered, but you curled your lips in to hide your smile. “And your fighting style?” you ventured. Why not continue the odd talk?

“My style...I punch ‘em.” Luffy stated with an affirmative nod. You raised an eyebrow, but the strawhat wearing pirate only smiled in return. “I’ve been good at fighting since a young age. My grandfather threw me into forests, jungles, and other places so I could toughen up. He wanted me to become a strong marine, but I didn’t wanna.” Luffy stuck his tongue out at the memory. You could only blink in confusion/horror at the idea of what his childhood was like. “I wanted to be a pirate, like the man that gave me this hat.”

“...I see,” you said as Luffy gave his hat a loving tug. 

“This is my treasure.” He stated when he saw you were looking at the strawhat. “I always keep it with me. It’s a reminder of my promise, my dream.”

“Your treasure…” You smiled as you twisted the ring on your finger. “It’s a wonderful treasure you have.”

“Is that your treasure?” The pirate asked. He pointed to the ring on your finger, so you nodded. “It’s a neat looking ring.”

“It is, isn’t it?” You twisted the ring to have it in its original position. “Your dream is to become the Pirate King, right?” Luffy nodded. “That’s incredible.” 

“You think so?”

“You’re following your dream. I think that’s amazing.”

“Ah~ My whole crew is following their dreams too. They’re really cool too, you know?” Luffy smiled, a cheerful air about him. You thought it was cute how he glowed with pride for his crew. “Oh, I wanna see how you fight. Can we spar one day?”

“I don’t think so,” you responded with lightning speed.

“Ehhh? Why not?”

“You’re far too advanced.” You admitted. You glanced behind when you heard Dotty yawn. She shuffled around before she decided to move up to your shoulder. “I haven’t been training long enough. I don’t think I’d be a good sparring partner.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Luffy assured you. “I think it’ll be fun. You can practice your style but be meaner too. Try to kick my butt.” 

“I’ll...consider it?” You chuckled because your response seemed to be sufficient enough for Luffy. “Thank you for the offer, Luffy-san.”

“You’re wel--ah! You’re being all formal again.”

“Sorry, sorry. Force of habit.” You forced down a smile. “I hope this walk isn’t boring. The place I have in mind is a bit away from the town.”

“Nah, it’s fine, it’s fine. I like talking to you. You’re a pretty interesting person.”

“Really?” You asked, disbelief in your tone. “I’ve been called quiet, but I don’t know about being interesting.”

“Ehh? Really? Ah, but you are a quiet person though, aren’t you?”

“...Hm, yeah...” You glanced to the side, avoiding eye contact with him. As if sensing your growing distress, Luffy continued. 

“Hm? Being a quiet person isn’t a bad thing though. It’s a thing, I guess? Kinda like…” Luffy tapped his cheek and then pointed at Dotty with the same finger. “It’s like if I said ‘Dotty is a sleepy cat’ It’s how she is.”

“Mrow?” said the cat on your shoulder. She opened her right eye before shutting it again to doze off.

“A sleepy cat. See?”

“...Pfft. okay.” You brought the back of your hand up to your mouth to stifle your laugh. “You’re an honest person, Luffy.”

“Oh, I am? I’ve been told that before. I’ve been told I’m a glutton too. And an airhead. Hm...oh, and an idiot. Hmmm...what else?”

“W-Wait, please, you don’t have to add to your list.” You realized you were having trouble hiding your smiles. Your usually neutral expression was hard to keep around Luffy.

“Ehh? Okay. Ah! Actually you’re right. You should see me for how I am.” Luffy nodded, an affirmative gesture to his words. “Then you can see I’m an idiot.”

“Pffft, haha! What??” You brought your hand to your mouth to stop yourself from laughing. Dotty woke up when she felt your shoulders shake from your attempts to stop yourself from laughing. “S-Sorry, pfft--that’s just--” You cleared your throat to stop yourself, but you still chuckled. “You’re very funny, Luffy.”

“You think I’m honest and funny? Neat!” 

You raised an eyebrow, amused by the oddity that was Luffy. You’d only known him for a short while, and it surprised you how easy it was to talk with him. You stopped at one point in your travel so you could replenish with water. Luffy was ready to keep walking after your water break, so you knew the break in between was mostly for you. 

“Such energy,” you muttered while walking. 

Luffy talked to you during your walk, and you learned that he had been to Alabasta, a desert nation. The walk through the desert reminded Luffy of the desert in Alabasta. He told you about a friend named Vivi that he and his crew befriended who needed help there. He told you how he had to fight some guy who could control sand. From the bits and pieces of his story you were able to put together, you could tell that he and his crew missed the young woman who had a duck steed. 

You made it to your destination, so you stopped walking. You pointed at the magnificent sand dune ahead of the two of you. It was several meters tall. The centerpiece of the area. 

“Ta-dah,” you gestured to the dune. “I like to come here to sand sled. Wanna try it?” 

“Ooh~! Sand sled? I wanna try!” 

“Good, come this way please.” 

You walked over to a cluster of rocks and cacti. There were other spots like the one you were walking to, but you walked to the largest one. You began moving rocks aside until you found what you were looking for. There was a pair of goggles to protect your eyes from the sand of the desert. The other item was the sled. It was a large, flat piece of stone. It was durable enough to hold your weight, but flat and thin enough to glide over the sand. 

“It’s fun to climb to the top of the dune, and then slide down the sand. The rush of the wind is refreshing. So...yeah,” You held up the makeshift board to Luffy. “I hope this is something you’ll like. I know we walked for a while, but it’s pretty fun to do.”

“I’ll do it, sounds exciting!” Luffy adjusted the goggles you gave him, and you both made your way up the dune. Dotty had jumped off your shoulder to travel up the dune beside you. She liked the feel on the sand on her paws and she sometimes found insects to snack on that were buried in the sand. 

“Oooh~ This is a nice view,” Luffy looked around the desert, and you smiled seeing him appreciate the island’s natural beauty. “Yosh, let’s slide down.” Luffy set down the sled, put on the goggles, and sat on the stone sled. He moved around so his legs were stretched on the sides so he could push himself. He hummed for a moment and then frowned. 

“What is it?” You walked up beside him to see what was wrong.

“This sled is small.” You raised an eyebrow. “We both don’t fit in here.”

“Ha...haah? No, no. Don’t worry.” You waved your hands in front of you, feeling a blush creep on your cheeks. “I’ll go after you. Just have fun.”

“Hmm, well okay. I’ll go first.” Luffy inched closer to the edge of the dune until he started to tilt. “Yosh! Woohoo~!” Luffy cheered as he glided over the sand all the way down. You crossed your arms and hummed in thought. You couldn’t believe that Luffy wanted to sit on the sled with you. 

“He’s a straightforward person,” you said as you sat down. “Add that to the list.” Dotty sat beside you, so you scratched the side of her face. “Does that mean he sees me as a friend already?” Dotty meowed and rubbed against your hand. “I bet you he’s the type of person that can easily make friends with people. A truly kind person.” You smirked, feeling admiration mixed with a little envy. 

_Being able to make friends with almost anybody, what an incredible skill._

“(Y/n)!!” Your name broke the desert’s silence. Luffy laughed as he dusted himself off. Even from your spot at the top of the dune, you knew he was grinning. “I’m coming back up so you can sand sled!” 

“Okay!” You called back. 

You and Luffy took turns sledding down the dune before you stopped to sit in some shade to eat. Luffy’s bento was just as meaty as the first one you had seen him eat. You gave Dotty her portion and ate your food while wondering if the dune trip had been a good idea. From the way Luffy was describing the rush of gliding and the amazing view he got, your worries were muted. You were happy to see Luffy looking relaxed afterwards. 

“Are you busy tomorrow?” Luffy asked after he’d finished his meal. You shake your head, thinking about how you were on your own with Dotty. Luffy grinned and leaned forward. You were taken aback and leaned back. Why did he look so happy? “Can I come see you at the tree again tomorrow?”

“I...you...Really?” You asked confused. Luffy only nodded, his smile still in place. “I’m...I’m not sure if there’s anything else I can show you...nothing, um, fun to do?” You fidgeted with your fingers. “It’s a desert, so it’s very...bare.” _Besides the plants and wildlife, of course,_ you thought.

“Hm? You don’t have to take me anywhere or show me anything. I just wanna talk to you some more.”

“You...you do?” You smiled at Luffy’s enthusiastic nod. “Well, the tree by Florette gives a nice shade. You really don’t mind being there, just to relax?”

“Of course not. It’s where you go to relax, huh? I’d like to try it too. Yosh! Tomorrow I’ll see you at the tree.” 

You raised an eyebrow, still in disbelief at Luffy’s request. As you two packed away your empty bentos, you wondered if Luffy was uninterested in the entertainment Florette had to offer. Whatever the case was, you were happy he still wanted your company. 

“The sun is setting, you’ll want to head back soon before night falls.”

“Haah, that’s true...AH!” Luffy exclaimed. You looked at him concerned, and poor Dotty had jumped in surprise. “I’m supposed to be back for dinner!”

“At what time?” You asked, crouching down to let Dotty hop onto your backpack. 

“Ahaha~ I don’t remember.”

“...” You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Let's...let's get you back to Florette.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Franky was hard at work on a new invention. He missed the rowdy crew, so he was wondering if there was a way to cross the desert in less than three days. Of course being the genius he was, Franky knew he needed to invent a mode of transportation to get him across the desert. His invention would need large wheels and wide tires in order to withstand the sand dunes and desert terrain. Thankfully, Franky’s shop had plenty of parts for him to work with.

“Yosh! The Franky Dune Rider II is coming along nicely.” 

Franky wiped his brow with a satisfied smirk. He pushed himself up from the ground after being under the vehicle. The shipwright patted his invention happily. Franky estimated that it would take him at least two days to finish the vehicle if he kept working on it. The prototype, Franky Dune Rider I, was a good base, but now the second one would be able to move better, faster, and withstand more weight. 

“Soon we’ll get to see everybody at Florette.”

Zoro made his way down the steps in time to see Franky put on a welding mask. With a lit gas welding burner in hand, Franky was back to working on his invention. Zoro raised an eyebrow, but decided to wait to see what the final product would be. “Oi, Franky! I’m heading out. Gonna stretch my legs a bit.”

“Huuuuh?” Franky’s head moved up, but his expression was covered by the mask. The burner was noisy as it made contact with the metal, but he heard a little of Zoro’s words. 

“I’ll be back later, I’m going to go out.” Zoro pointed behind himself with his thumb. 

Franky gave him a thumbs up, so he nodded and turned around to leave. He knew how focused the shipwright would be when he was working on an invention. Once Zoro was out of sight, Franky went back to working on the metal piece that was giving him trouble.

“There we go, hehe,” Franky turned off the burner and moved the welding mask up after five minutes. “Hm, wonder what that was about?” Franky rubbed his chin as he looked up to where Zoro had been. “Why did he tell me he was going to work out?” The shipwright shrugged and gave it no thought, unaware that the swordsman was several meters away from the ship.


	8. Two Games and a Promise

You listened to the sand’s subtle crunch under your boots as you walked through the desert. It was quiet, cold, and so very beautiful. You walked while looking up at the sky, admiring the full moon and the stars. It wasn’t until you heard Dotty’s call to you that you looked down. The cat was several feet ahead of you, and she sat in place to meow. You chuckled before jogging up to her. 

“Sorry, sorry pretty kitty~ It’s a full moon tonight. My vision’s as good as yours tonight, so I’m admiring everything. You know I barely move around when it’s a new moon.”

“Mrow.” 

The cat huffed, but she purred when you scratched her under the chin. 

“I’ll move, I promise.” 

You continued your walk, Dotty close by your feet. It had been your idea to walk deeper into the desert, so you had nobody to blame for your slow pace but yourself. You kept your eyes open for any movements in the landscape encase any wild animal was feeling brave. The wildcat by your feet stayed alert as well. “This should be a good spot,” you said and stopped walking. You breathed in and then out. 

You were in the middle of an empty spot in the desert. Around you there were bushes, tall cacti, and some distant cliffs. Despite the emptiness and quiet around you, the area was alive. Being awake at night, you had the privilege of getting glimpses of the nocturnal side of the semiarid desert. You lifted your hands in front of your chest and concentrated. You needed to focus; you would explore later when you were done. Dotty sat down and watched you with her wide eyes as small flickers of lights began to float around your hands. 

“Okay,” You lifted your hands up to your face and cupped them around your eyes. “Ojos Místicos...”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luffy shifted in his seat as he waited for his bento to be made. He was thinking about being at the meeting place on time, but he would have to get his supplies ready. First things first, he needed to have his food ready early so he could grab it and leave. The next thing was to tell the crew he was going to the desert again. Everybody was out doing their own things, so Luffy was hoping to come across at least one Strawhat member so they could tell the others for him.

In his excitement to eat, he had forgotten to mention his plans last night. Luffy tended to plan things out of order sometimes.

“I have your dinner ready,” said Madame Garreaux as she exited the kitchen. “It’s set aside in a thermal container. It’ll be warm when you eat it later. You’re not going to have dinner with your crew?”

“Not today, so I gotta find my crew to let them know.” Luffy smiled. “I promised (Y/n) that I’d see them today.”

“Oh? Oh that’s right, isn't it?” The chef brought her hand up to her mouth. “They’re the one you first met here.” Luffy nodded. “My dear daughter mentioned that you’d befriended them.” A sigh escaped Madame Garreaux. “I do wish that child would come visit us here. They sell rabbit meat, but then they’re gone so fast.”

“They don’t like coming to the town, so I’ll go see them.” 

“(Y/n) told you that?” 

“Yup! They said they don’t like being in the town for too long. We went through the desert instead. We went sand sledding, and today we’ll...well, I don’t actually know.” The chair squeaked as Luffy rocked from side to side . “It’s going to be a surprise.” 

Luffy didn’t have to wait long because he saw one of his crew members. Chopper entered the cafe with Doctor Sophia, and they were both holding a medium sized terrarium with the mystery plant growing in each one. They were chatting, absorbed in their excitement about the plant taking root so well. 

“I can’t wait to show Usopp,” Chopper grinned as he held up the biodome. “He’s going to think it’s so cool!”

“I’m excited to see how these grow,” the other doctor stated as she gave her own plant a look over. “The potential this plant has for oral hygiene is great.” Doctor Sophia looked up to see Luffy and Madame Garreaux at a table. “Good afternoon Madame Garreaux and Luffy-san.”

“Luffy! Look, look!” 

The reindeer bounced over to his captain to place the terrarium on the table Luffy was sitting at. “I’m going to bring this to the ship and have it grow in the garden.”

“OOOH~” Luffy squished his face against the glass to look at the plant. “This is cool, you excited Chopper?”

“Yup!”

“Is Silvia here, Madame?” Doctor Sophia asked as she placed her matching terrarium beside Chopper’s. Luffy placed his face against it to look at the plant. 

“No, she’s out right now, but she’ll be home soon.” The chef sighed and placed her hand on her cheek. “She hates going to the store sometimes because it’s a gamble on who’s at check-out.”

“Ah, that’s right,” Sophia rolled her eyes, and growled, “_That_ guy.”

“Hm?” Both Chopper and Luffy hummed, curious about who could get such an annoyed response from the otherwise calm doctor. 

“Ah, there’s just an annoying guy that keeps trying to give advice to Silvia about how to live her life, or in his mind ‘How to improve’ her life.” The doctor’s face scrunched as if she smelled something rancid. “He tries to bother me too. Ignore him, it upsets him.” 

“Ah, so he’s a dumbass,” the pirates responded. 

“Exactly.” The doctor crooked her head to the side. “Are you planning to see (Y/n) today? They should be waking up soon.” The strawhat wearing pirate nodded. “Please thank them for me. I’m very happy with the specimen. Oh, before I forget.” The doctor reached into her pant’s pocket to pull out a folded piece of paper. “For (Y/n).”

“Eh?? What is it?” Luffy took the offered paper and unfolded it. It was a list of titles he hadn’t heard of.

“Book list.” The doctor sat at the table and Chopper followed suit. “I keep a list with me in case I come across (Y/n) when they’re in town. They don’t visit much, so I keep an eye out on new books or sequels to books they like. A few recommendations are thrown in there too.”

“Yosh! I’ll give this to (Y/n) today.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Should I pack more food?”

You murmured to yourself while in the kitchen. You shake your head. Luffy probably had a meal packed by Madame Garreaux. Maybe bringing an extra meal would be too much. You decided to take some fruits like apples, grapes, and pears instead. That would be enough along with the meal you’d already packed yourself.

“Ready, Dotty?” You looked down by your feet to see the wildcat looking up at you. She meowed and brushed against your legs. You smiled as you wrapped up your meal and Dotty’s meal. “I should bring my book...oh, maybe some cards?” You made your way to your room to gather a few items. “Something fun so he’s not bored…”

After you had double checked what you were going to take with you, you went to the rose garden to water the blooming flowers. You hummed to yourself but then had the sobering realization that Luffy would most likely leave tomorrow. You pursed your lips and try to quiet the thought. You knew it was going to happen at one point, but you had hoped to enjoy the short time you had with your new friend. Would the blossoming friendship continue even when he went back to the sea?

_...What would you do...Gabriel? Would you say ‘Go for it! Make a new friend, even if it’s only for a day’?_

You brought a hand up to massage your forehead. You were scrunching it up in concentration. You pressed your forehead to relieve the tension and to keep yourself from getting teary eyed. “Yeah, you’d probably be happy if I made a friend…”

The sun shined bright when you and Dotty made your way to the tree overlooking Florette. Your bag was a little heavier than usual since you had packed more items. If Luffy was honest when he said he wanted to relax by the tree, then you wanted to make sure you had whatever was needed to relax that day. A tea set, cards, and two board games were packed away in your bag along with a book. 

You arrived before Luffy, so you went to setting up the area with the picnic blanket, the tea set ready, and fruits. You only had to wait about fifteen minutes before you heard Luffy’s mighty “ROCKET!!” as he flew past you and the tree. 

“Luffy!?” When you ran up to where he had landed, you saw he was unharmed because he was brushing himself off while laughing. 

“Yo! (Y/n), you’re here early.” Luffy smiled when you nodded. You pointed to the tree, and Luffy saw the set up blanket. “Oooh~ You set that up for us? You’re so nice, (Y/n).” 

You smiled, a little embarrassed. Getting praise for doing what you thought was the bare minimum made you feel confused but a little happy. 

“I have some stuff to go through in case you get bored.” You said as you two walked to the tree. At Luffy’s confused hum, you added, “Like two board games, cards...erm, a book…” You scratched your cheek. “Just...you know...other stuff.” You gestured in the general direction of your bag on the blanket. “I tend to read up here, but maybe you prefer something else.”

“Hm, I don’t really read,” Luffy answered with the honesty of a child. He grinned when you two sat on the picnic blanket. “Ah, but you reminded me.” Luffy dug into his pocket and found what he was looking for. “Ah-ha~ Doctor Sophia wanted me to thank you for the plant and give you this.”

“Hm? This is...ah,” you smiled seeing the list. You reached one book in particular and gasped. “Oh! The new volume is out, hehehe,” you brought the list close to your heart while grinning. “I’ve been waiting for it.” 

Luffy’s eyes started to shine when he saw how passionate you were. 

“What is it? What did you see?” He asked even though he didn’t know any of the books on the list. 

“The newest volume of a graphic novel I love is out,” you explained, a giddy tone in your voice. “It’s about a person living on an island that has a terrain so different from here. It’s a Winter Island. It has plateaux, mountain peaks, and fertile lowlands. Oh! And glaciers! The animals on the island are so interesting too~ It would be so cool to explore all of that. It’s just so...fascinating…” You realized you’d gone on a tangent and blushed. You cleared your throat and put the list away in your pocket. “I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”

“Ehh? Don’t be sorry. You’re super excited about this, you really like it huh?”

“Yeah, I really do,” you smiled. “I love the story, but the location is so beautiful too,” you sighed as you looked off into the desert. “There are so many different places and so many different environments, it’s absolutely breathtaking.” You smiled and Luffy couldn’t help but smile in return. He wanted to know what else would light that spark of passion again. “Before I get distracted and forget, would you like to try one of the board games?”

“Sure! What games do you have??” 

You picked up the game boxes to explain to Luffy. “These are ‘Grand Wonders’ and ‘The Great Detective’.” You held up one box. “The first one is competitive, and the goal of this game is to build your civilization while outshining the other and capturing it.” You lifted the other box. “This one is cooperation. The players work together to solve a mystery.” You held up the games to Luffy, letting him choose which of the two he wanted to play. Luffy held both boxes and took turns lifting them up as if weighing them. He gave the cooperative game a long look but then set it aside. 

“Let’s try this game!” He held up ‘Grand Wonders’. You nodded at his choice. Luffy got the game out, and while he set it up, Dotty curled into your lap. You pat her head all the while wondering how you and Luffy would play against each other. 

You were quick to learn that Luffy had an unusual amount of good luck. 

The cards he received helped him while you stumbled between lucky and unlucky. Luffy was overtaking your side of the board, and you huffed frustrated. You didn’t mean to be a sore loser, but it was still a little frustrating. You didn’t think yourself to be bad at the game. You thought about your strategies and how to improve your methods. By the way the game was going, it seemed like you were terrible at playing. 

“Was I always this bad…?”

Your competitive side had diminished long ago however. When you had noticed how happy Luffy would get when he got a good card, you found yourself happy for him. You didn’t want to admit it, but you were fine with the idea of losing to him. _I’m hoping he’ll win, even if it means I’ll lose? How weird am I?_ You two were only halfway through the game, and there was already a clear winner. 

“Ano...hmph,” Luffy looked at his cards and then at the board. You wondered what had him frustrated. “I don’t think I like this game…”

“Hm? Why? You’re winning.” You nodded to the board. “A little more and you can destroy my side.”

“Yeah...but...I don’t like it.” 

Luffy set his cards down. 

You blinked confused at his words and his frowning face. 

“I don’t like it. Let’s play together.” Luffy lifted up the other game. “I wanna play this one. We play together with this one, right?” You nodded, which made the pirate smile. “Yosh!”

For the second game, you explained the rules while Luffy put away the first game. ‘The Great Detective’ was a game where the players would have to solve the mystery either faster or more completely than the Great Detective himself. In the game, you would have to rely on your problem solving skills and luck. You pointed out how the game made it difficult to beat the main character, but it was still fun to solve the mysteries the game had to offer. 

“Let’s do our best,” you said and gave Luffy a cheerful smile. He nodded with a smile in return. Before you started the game, Luffy moved to sit right beside you instead of staying across from you. You fought down a blush, and asked. “Oh? Is something wrong?”

“Hm? Nah,” Luffy nestled into his spot. “We’re working together, so I should be beside you instead of across. We’re a team now.”

You curled your lips in to hide your smile. You wondered if Luffy didn’t realize that he could still be across from you. You could pass him the cards or dice because you were working together. You decided to drop the subject in favor of starting the game with the pirate. 

The detective game was a favorite of yours, and playing with Luffy made it all the more fun. Luffy’s chaotic ideas and your attempts at rationality made the game more interesting. You two would flip between who was the serious one and who was the silly one. The game progressed with conversations such as: 

“A goat made of hay and a match,” Luffy hummed. “Light the goat with the match!”

“N-No!” You snickered and forced yourself to be serious. “Set it aside.”

“Okay...for now…”

“What? No! Not for now!” 

“You never know! I mean, I sure as hell don’t.” You both snickered before it turned into laughter. 

_And..._

“So in this room,” you explained. “The safe’s combination is this equation’s answer. I did the math.” You held up your solved problem. “And....I made a mistake. But! I made two mistakes that canceled each other out, so I somehow got the right answer…”

“Ahaha~ Good job, (Y/n).” Luffy pat your back as you looked over your work. 

“How did I mess up so badly??”

_Also…_

“The lock combination is a word, but the word is unknown.” Luffy hummed, his forehead wrinkled in concentration. “We have to figure out a buncha clues to get the passcode? But that’ll take too loooong. How many passcodes are there??” 

“Yeah, it’s step after step to get the word. It’d be funny if the passcode is just the inventor’s name.” You arranged the letters to be the imaginary mad scientist’s name. The puzzle worked. “Oh? Oh well damn.”

“The guy’s an idiot!”

_As well as..._

“Can I eat the food on the table?”

“No! Luffy, it’s a clue!”

“...Do I get to eat it after you document the clue?”

“I guess??”

“Then I eat the food.”

“...It’s imaginary food!”

You both almost missed your time to eat during the game. Luffy’s stomach interrupted the game to remind you about dinner time. You both laughed and paused the case. You were grinning at the fact that Luffy was just as eager to solve the case as you were. Dotty resorted to resting in the tree because you and Luffy were so engaged in playing you kept waking her from her naps. The case was interesting, but not as interesting as the odd ideas you and Luffy would throw at each other in your attempts to win. 

In the end, you and Luffy won. 

You stared at the results stunned. “We won! Oh my god…” You looked over your results to make sure, and you were right. You and Luffy had solved the case. It took hours of trial and error (and goofiness), but you could say you had won alongside Luffy. 

“We did it!” You lifted your hand to high five the captain, and he gave you one in return with as much enthusiasm as you. 

“We’re the best!” Luffy grinned as he rocked side to side on his spot on the blanket. “Wanna solve another case?”

“I…oh,” you frowned when you noticed how dark it was. Luffy, noticing your frown, asked what was on your mind. “I’d love to play, but you have to leave soon...or now actually. It’s dark, and you’ll need to be ready to leave.”

“Leave to where?” Luffy asked, confused at your words. 

“Your crew has gotten everything they need for your ship, haven’t they?” You continued when Luffy only responded with a head tilt. “Travelers only stay in Florette for about three days, and then they leave to sail again. So…” you looked down at your lap, finding it more interesting than facing the truth. “I’m happy you came here today, I had a lot of fun...Thank you.”

“Ehhh? Why are you saying that like we won’t see each other again? I’ll still be here.”

“Won’t your crew say otherwise?” Luffy opened his mouth but then closed it. “You came to this island for supplies, and now that you have them, well...” A breeze brushed by as you looked up at him. Your expression was a sad but understanding one, and Luffy’s a neutral one. 

“I’ll...I’ll see you tomorrow. I promise.” Luffy’s words rang clear as a bell. At your widened eyes, Luffy continued. “I’ll talk with my crew because I want to stay here. I want to see you again.”

You blushed and bit your tongue in order to keep yourself from asking ‘Why’. Why would he stay on the island? Why would he deal with the desert’s heat when he could be in the lush and cool town of Florette? Why did he smile with so much confidence when he stated he would see you again?

“I’ll see you here tomorrow, (Y/n). Let’s have fun again.” Luffy lifted up his hand to hold out his pinky. “It’s a promise.” You looked at his offered hand and debated if you should take the offer. Would he keep his word?

“...Okay,” you linked your pinky with his. “I understand if I don’t see you tomorrow, but I hope I do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Why the hell is the ship so far?” The green-haired swordsman grumbled under his breath as he crossed his arms. He had been lucky to have taken a jacket for his walk, but it wasn’t providing as much warmth as he had hoped. “I’ll rest up and then get back to the ship.” Zoro rubbed his arms to create the friction to heat up his cold arms a little. He stopped his movements when he heard a rustle in the bushes nearby.

A large rabbit sniffed around, and it locked eyes with Zoro. It adjusted its legs so it could spring away at any moment. The swordsman clicked his tongue while looking at the furry creature. 

“Well, for the time being...might as well catch one of these quick basterds,” said Zoro as he pressed his thumb against one of his sword’s hilts.


	9. Lost and Found

_One Upon A Time…_

_There used to be an old village that came upon a magical stone._

_“Wow!” Said one villager. “It is magic! We can use this to make our lives easier.”_

_The magic stone could change things into beautiful things! A flower could become a necklace or a bracelet or a ring. Such a wonderful stone, it must be a gift from the heavens!_

_One day, a kind king heard about this magic stone from his brave soldiers. His adventurous soldiers told tales of the riches they saw from the village. The king wanted to use the magic stone to help his people._

_“You should give this stone to me,” said the kind king to the village. “I will use it to help my people.”_

_Oh...but the villagers did no such thing~ They were greedy and hid the stone away!_

_“We do not have such a stone,” the people lied and turned their backs on the king. “And if we did, we would not give it to you.”_

_And so, the village was cursed because of their selfish ways. The people disappeared with time, and the kind king could only bemoan the forever lost treasure._

Robin closed the children’s book and read the cover. 

The Lost Magical Stone.

A straightforward message and clear moral compass. Robin knew how such stories went. She placed the book back on the shelf at the same time the librarian was coming up to her with a tray. Robin smiled while the librarian stifled a yawn. The pirate almost felt guilty for having the woman be alert so early in the morning. It seemed she wasn’t expecting anybody to be at the library’s door right when it opened. And yet, the librarian opened the doors and went to make tea for herself and Robin. 

“Oh goodness me, it’s rare for somebody to be awake so early and ready to read.” The old woman set the tray on a short table and adjusted her glasses. Her straight, gray hair was pulled back in a bun, and her smile was bright. “Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“I can’t say I am. I want to learn anything I can about this town. What better place to start than the library?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Zermatt Island’s large desert seemed to stretch endlessly. The morning sun cast its shine before it was over the horizon, and you saw the sky become multicolored. A rosy pink hue mixed with soft yellow and orange hues while the purple and blues of the night faded. The sandy terrain was bathed in light, and you could see the shades of green of the flora. Cacti, tall and short, stood among bristled bushes. 

The gorgeous sight calmed you. The desert was your refuge. 

You were away from Florette in the desert, and you were alone to organize your feelings in the desert. It was here where you allowed yourself to think about Luffy’s promise. During the night, you were fluctuating between being realistic and hoping for the best. Would Luffy leave the town and head back to the sea? Would Luffy’s crew agree to his request to stay on the island longer?

“_Goddammit_, I’m still thinking about it. I’m so tired.” The desert could only do so much to calm a nervous mind. 

“Mrow?”

“I shouldn’t be thinking about this still. They’re going to set sail, and Luffy is going to leave. That’s that…”

Dotty brushed her face against your cheek and you sighed. The sun would be over the horizon in a few seconds, and you were still conflicted on whether you believed Luffy would see you at the tree overlooking Florette. 

_I should sleep on it. No point worrying, but being anxious just comes so naturally._

You rubbed your eyes. They were becoming adjusted to the sunlight peeking in the distance. You knew you needed to head home so you and Dotty could sleep. Your day is over; you would have to be ready for the afternoon. 

“I’m done for the night.” You dug into your pocket and pulled out a small emerald. You held the gem up to your eye, so you could look at the landscape with a green tint. “I’m good with what I’ve gotten. What do you think, Dotty?” 

“Mrow?”

“You have no idea, huh? It’s pretty, isn’t it?” You held the gem close to the wildcat, and she sniffed it. You pocketed the gem when she tried to eat it. “It’s not food~”

You reached up to pat Dotty’s head. You hummed, deep in thought. Another day had gone by, which meant your appointment with Doctor Sophia was tomorrow. You needed to refill your antidepressant medication and do a physical examination, but going into Florette--

“Meeeh!?”

“Knock it off, you horned sack of meat!” 

“Meeeeh!”

“I’ll slice you in half!”

The angry conversation disrupted your previous concentration. 

You heard a clash that sounded like two swords hitting each other. From the sounds of angry bleating, you knew one of the opponents was Cesar. Why were you not surprised it was him? It was because Cesar had a tendency to escape Signore Antonio’s barn. Whoever Cesar was having a fight with was holding their ground rather well. 

“Shit! Dotty, let’s go.”

You ran towards the sounds of fighting; Dotty had jumped off your shoulder in order to help you stop the fight. When you two arrived, you saw the Zermatt Sheep scuffing his front hoof against the ground while a green-haired man adjusted his sword in his left hand. He had two other swords bundled up in a green haramaki over his right hip. He put his right hand on one of the sheathed swords, contemplating if he should draw it. 

You knew at any second that Cesar or the swordsman would attack soon, so you needed to think fast on how to disarm both parties. The good news was you and Dotty had the element of surprise. Neither seemed to have noticed your presence. You reached into your pocket to pull out your collapsed metal bo staff. You held the weapon in your fist. 

Dotty looked up at you waiting for a command. You curled your fingers in so only your index fingers were up. You pointed with both fingers firmly in Cesar’s direction. 

//Go!//

Dotty took off like a lightning bolt while you made a beeline towards the swordsman. You pushed the side of your weapon until you heard a click. You then let go. The bo staff expanded, and you grabbed it midair. You had given the command at the right time because Cesar and the swordsman were about to attack each other again. 

Dotty stopped Cesar by swiping at him by the eyes. The sheep recoiled in surprise and avoided the feline’s attack. You brought your staff up to counter the swordsman’s attack. In his surprise, you were able to redirect the attack and maneuver his weapon down to the ground. 

His sword split the floor leaving a jarring scar in its wake. He recovered and tilted the sword’s handle. You saw what he was going to do. You moved with him and made his blade move up away from you. You felt the wind from the attack brush up against the tip of your nose. It was a close call, but the blade didn’t cut you. The swordsman jumped back, escaping the hold you had on his weapon. 

Cesar was scuffing his hoof against the floor again; his aim was on Dotty now. Said wildcat kept her belly close to the ground as she crept closer to the furious sheep. Before the sheep could run at her, Dotty sprung forward. She suddenly changed direction so she was running at him from his right. Then, she was running up to him from the left. Right. Left. Right. Left. The zigzagging motion confused Cesar, and it let Dotty get close to him. 

The sheep was able to dodge a swipe at his eyes at the last second by jumping back.

It was a stand off again, but this time Dotty was facing Cesar and you were facing the swordsman. He glared at you, and you stared him down. One thought ran through your head in the thick, tense silence.

_Ahhhhh! This guy is scary!!_

“Meeeh! Meh meh!” 

_Cesar! Shut up! You’re gonna get us killed! Did you see what he did with just one sword?? Who needs three freaking swords?!_

You needed to think of a plan. How could you let the stranger know that you didn’t want to fight him? Also, could he please not kill your friend’s goat? Sure, the sheep probably started the fight, but it was probably because he thought the swordsman was going to hurt him. The man pointed his sword at you, his glare still in place.

“Oi! Who the hell are you? Why did you stop me?”

_Okay, this is good! He’s willing to talk,_ you lowered your staff a little. _I can just introduce myself and we can all calm down. ‘Hi, my name is (Y/n). I’m sorry about Cesar, he’s an asshole, but I’m sure this is all a misunderstanding.’ That’s all I have to say._ You opened your mouth.

“...”

And then closed it. 

“Well? Are you friend or foe?”

_Dammit voice, please come out!_

You tried again, but your throat felt tight. No, lower. It was as if your esophagus didn’t have the strength to push enough air out of you other than to breathe. You shifted from foot to foot, feeling yourself become more and more anxious with every passing second. Feeling your distress, Dotty climbed up your leg. She went up your back and then stopped at your shoulder. She purred and curled up against your neck. 

“Hm,” you leaned into her, appreciating the affection. Her purring had a way of calming your erratic heart. There was one problem, however. Cesar didn’t have somebody to stare him down.

“Meh!” The sheep charged, but he was met with a whack to the nose by the blunt end of your metal staff. “Meh?!” You had reacted in time to stop him from getting past you. You weren’t going to let him get closer to the stranger. 

“Shh!”

“Meeeh!”

You smacked him on the nose again.

“Ehh, what the hell?” The swordsman put his sword away and raised an eyebrow. The fight was over, so he was now just confused by the scene going on before him. The goat from before was being kept at bay by a shepherd with a cat on their shoulder. “That thing belongs to you?”

You did a so-so motion with your hand after Cesar stopped trying to go in for a charge. He started to stomp his hoof and throw a fit instead. You rolled your eyes and took off your bag. You had packed some baby carrots specifically for coming across Cesar. You stuffed one into the mouth of the fuming sheep. He blinked, chewed, and then swallowed. He opened his mouth again, polite as can be. 

_*Grooowwwl*_

You crooked your head confused. Was Cesar that hungry? Had he gotten into a fight because he was just hangry? You heard the rumble again, and you realized it wasn’t from the sheep in front of you. It was coming from the green-haired man. He crossed his arms and looked away when you looked over at him. You reached into your bag again to pull out your emergency protein bar. 

You held it up so he could see what it was. Before he could comment, you tossed it to him. He caught it with one hand. The man stared at it for a bit, and then he unwrapped the snack. The way he scarfed the food down made it seem like he hadn’t eaten in days. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and pocketed the wrapper.

“Hey, thanks. You wouldn’t happen to have water with you, would you? My bottle’s empty.”

You shake your head. You had finished your water because it was the end of the day for you. You pointed in the direction of Florette, and you motioned for him to follow you. You pat Cesar’s head, urging him to lead beside you. He was calm now and ready to go home. The stranger followed you, but he kept about two meters behind you.

“I’m Roronoa Zoro by the way. If you don’t want to tell me your name, that’s fine by me.”

You looked over your shoulder and nodded, thankful he was an understanding person. You looked ahead and thought of the possibilities that had led to the man being in the desert so early in the morning. He might have gone out to train in the morning, and then forgot his way back to Florette. How unlucky.

“Mrow?” Dotty jumped off your shoulder and ran up to Zoro. He was going left. “Mrow!” She latched onto his foot, biting at his ankle. It made the man fumble and almost trip. 

“Oi! What the hell?” 

Dotty jumped off his foot and huffed up at him. She meowed, signaling to you that she’d stopped him from wandering off. You pat your shoulder to urge her to return to you. She did, and the four of you continued walking. After about five minutes, Dotty jumped off your shoulder and ran to bite Zoro’s ankle again. This time, he was drifting right. 

“What the hell is this cat doing??”

You crooked your head and realized what the Sekhmet was doing. She was treating him like a Zermatt lamb who was drifting from the herd. No wonder Zoro got lost; his sense of direction must be terrible. From there, you changed the formation in which you were walking.

Instead of Zoro following you, you would usher him to Florette. 

Cesar was at the front of your group, behaving because he was in charge of leading a ‘herd’. Dotty was on the left, and you were on Zoro’s right. If Zoro moved left, Dotty got his ankles. If he moved right or back, you would tap him with your bo staff. The swordsman complained at first. 

“Oi, why are the three of you so close?” Zoro’s eyes twitched when you didn’t answer and only whistled so Cesar could start walking. “Tch. Fine. You can stick close to me.” The swordsman made a point to rest a hand on one of his sword’s handles. A warning.

_I wouldn’t dream of trying to rob you my good sir,_ you thought while staring ahead with a blank expression. _Your glare is enough to cut down any thief!_

Your walk was quiet but comfortable. The swordsman didn’t seem to mind the silence, but it was interrupted by his growling stomach at one point. Zoro pretended the noise didn’t happen. You, on the other hand, began to dig through your bag. After opening every pocket, you found what you had hidden away. Your backup for your backup. You held out the wrapped snack for Zoro to take.

“Hm? Heh, thanks for the food.” 

You nodded as the green-haired man scarfed down his small ration. You were feeling a little hungry yourself, but he didn’t need to know that. What Zoro needed was food, water, and rest. The sooner you got him to Florette, the faster he could relax. 

The journey to Florette would have been faster had Zoro not almost drifted away from your tight-knit formation. How he almost got away from you once you’ll never know. It surprised you how unaware the man seemed to be to his own drifting tendency. Every bite to the ankle and tap by your bo staff served to only confuse him rather than let him know he was going off course. 

“I’m starting to think you wanna ask me for a fight. What? Wanna spar?” Zoro was met with a furrowed brow and an unsure hum. He smirked. “Can’t say I’d mind. With the way you redirected my attack, I wanna see how your staff holds up against my sword.”

You shook your head so fast it was almost comical. 

“Ehhh? Don’t think I’d be a good opponent?”

“Tch.” You smirked and gave the swordsman the side-eye. What was with his fake humility? Zoro chuckled at your expression. 

“You’re right, I’m a damn good opponent.”

When your group approached the town, the lush emerald green trees and earth toned buildings greeted you. A breeze carried the town’s floral scent in your direction, and there was distant chattering as the town woke up with the morning sun. Florette, the town of flowers, was finally within walking distance. 

Zoro raised an eyebrow.

“What the hell is this place?”

You sighed and signaled for Dotty to return to you when you were a few meters away from the entrance to Florette. She climbed into your outstretched arms and then sat on your shoulders. She was ready to leave with you to return Cesar. 

_This swordsman must be hopeless if he doesn’t recognize the town he walked out from,_ you thought. You reached into your bag to pull out a small notebook and pencil. Zoro was walking towards the town while you stopped walking. You wrote down what you had wanted to say to him but couldn’t. 

“Seriously, where am--” Before Zoro could finish, you caught up to him and handed him the note with a small smile on your face. You bowed before you turned to the sheep. You tapped Cesar’s behind with your bo staff to let him know it was time to leave. Zoro watched you leave, but he didn’t call out to stop you. If you were ready to leave, so be it. “Thanks. Hopefully I’ll see you around.”

Zoro made his way to the town and read the piece of paper you had given him. 

//My name is (Y/n) and my cat is Dotty. The sheep is Cesar and he’s an asshole. He belongs to a friend, so I’ll return him. Sorry for the trouble! I hope you find where you were staying in Florette.//

“Staying in Florette?” Zoro repeated, honest confusion in his voice. 

“Zoro?” The swordsman flinched when he heard the familiar voice of the archeologist/assassin. Zoro looked up to see the tall, raven-haired woman at the edge of the town. Robin lifted her hand to her mouth, an amused smile gracing her lips. “You’re here in Florette now?”

“E-Ehh??”

//P.S. Please be careful. Your sense of direction is very bad.// 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nami was massaging her temples. An irked vein on her forehead showed how mad she was at the situation before her. The call from Franky had made her want to scream. Of course! Of course Zoro would wander off! How had she not taken that into account when she planned who went to the town and who stayed? The worst part of it was having to relay the news to Luffy.

At dinner yesterday, the captain had made the case of staying on the island longer. The crew was a little surprised, but they knew to expect the unexpected from their captain. Nami, being the level headed one, proposed a solution: Let the crew sleep on it, think of why they’d like to stay, and make their case in the morning. Luffy may be the captain, but he would listen to his crew. 

“I’m sorry, Luffy. We have to leave.”

Nami frowned when she practiced the phrase. The words left a bitter taste in her mouth. She wished Robin was there to support her when she would have to relay the bad news. The archeologist had left early in the morning, so Nami knew she would have to state the facts on her own. They could not stay in Florette. The crew would need to find their swordsman in the desert. Once she was downstairs, she sighed at the sight of her crew chatting among themselves at a table.

“I think staying would be a great idea. Not only are there such beauties in the town~” Sanji’s cigarette smoke swirled and looked like hearts, “--but there’s new recipes waiting for me to discover.”

“I want to learn about the plants here. Doctor Sophia said the medical herbs here have great potential.” The reindeer giggled and hummed. “I hope to get some samples to grow on Sunny~”

“Let me help you with that, Chopper.” Usopp rubbed his nose. “You know, back in my hometown, I was known as Usopp the Green Thumbed Champion. I could make plants do my bidding, hehe~”

“Eeehhh?! Really??” Chopper and Luffy were roped into Usopp’s fantastical tale. 

“How did the plants listen to you without ears? Ah, but I don’t have ears either, Yoho-ho-ho-ho~”

“That’s so cool~ I have to tell (Y/n) about plants that can listen! I can’t wait to go to the tree today, shishishi~”

Nami approached her crew. Her expression was calm, and she was ready to say what she needed to say. The longer they stayed in Florette, the longer Zoro would be lost. The swordsman would be drying up like a raisin in the sun if they didn’t find him soon. 

“I found Zoro.”

There was a sudden silence as the sentence hung in the air. The crew looked to the entrance to see a smiling Robin and a grumpy Zoro. The two entered the cafe and were greeted by the men at the table. While Sanji was swooning over Robin and Luffy was welcoming Zoro, Nami’s eyes twitched and a fire burned in them. Was fate trying to annoy her?

“You came here on your own, Zoro?” Luffy crooked his head. “Why didn’t you come with Franky??”

“Because this idiot was lost in the desert!” Nami stomped her way up to the nervous swordsman. He was sure she was going to increase his debt by tenfold. “Franky called to say he couldn’t find you on the ship, and then realized he hadn’t seen you in two days! You got lost in the desert?? You seriously went off on your own?!”

“Well, I’m here now, aren’t I?!” Zoro leaned back to create some distance between him and the furious redhead. “That’s all that matters.”

“How did you even find your way here? You must have some serious luck to have gotten so lost that you found civilization. Oh my god.” Nami ran a hand down her face. “Thank god Robin found you. I knew I could count on her.” 

“I can’t take the credit for Zoro’s safety. He was led to the town by somebody else.”

“Eh? Who?”

“I met a shepherd or a vagabond while in the desert. Somebody named (Y/n).”

“Oh! You met (Y/n)?” Luffy smiled and laughed. “You met my new friend. They’re really cool, huh~?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were sitting under the tree while Dotty was napping on one of its branches. You were reading, or rather attempting to read. You had been staring at the same page for half an hour. You shut the book and closed your eyes. You knew you needed to distract yourself before you became overwhelmed. The doctor’s appointment was tomorrow, and you knew you would have to go back to Florette.

_Maybe I sold the rabbit meat too soon. I could’ve brought them with me to sell after my appointment._You stared off and then smiled a little. _But then again, I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to meet Luffy I guess._

Your eyebrows furrowed at the thought. You made a mental note to talk to Sophia about the pirate you had met. You weren’t sure what to make of him. You didn’t believe you would see him, and yet you had returned to the tree. Hope for the best, but expect the worst was how you thought about life. And yet, Luffy somehow made you lean into your hopeful side. How could he stay on the mind when he was most likely traversing the dry terrain?

_I’m not going to see him again, so I should just drop this confusion. Still I--_

“ROCKEEET!” 

“E-Eh?!” You and Dotty looked up to see the strawhat wearing pirate fly overhead. He smiled and waved at you as he passed overhead. He laughed at your flabbergasted expression when he landed on the other side of the tree. “Lu...Luffy?! You’re...here…”

“Yup! I promised I’d see you today, remember?” 

You opened and closed your mouth, words failing to leave your mouth. He was there. He was still on the island. The pirate captain approached you with a wide smile on his face. He had his bag ready with a bento and water. Whatever plan you had for him today, he was ready. You stood up to meet him halfway.

“I’m...I’m happy you’re still here. Your crew is okay with being on Zermatt Island a little longer?”

“Hmm,” Luffy nodded. “Nami says to put a pin on how long we’re staying for the time being. We’re going to wait for Franky to come to Florette. By the way, thank you for helping Zoro get to Florette. He’s lucky you found him.”

“Oh? Zoro is part of your crew?”

“Yup! He wandered away from the ship and got lost. He found his way here.”

“Wait...wait one second,” You held up a finger and put the pieces of the puzzle together. “You’re telling me he wasn’t originally in Florette? He was traveling from your ship...which is docked on the southern part of the island...as in days away from here?”

“Yup!” 

“He’s more hopeless than I thought!” 

“Shishishi~”


	10. Surprises

“Haa~ Resting up against this tree is so nice~” 

“Are we...are we just going to ignore that your friend was lost in the desert??”

“Hm? Why do you ask?” 

Luffy opened his eyes to look over at you. Both your backs were against the tree, and you were sitting beside each other because Luffy said the shade was perfect. He laughed at your bewildered expression after a few seconds. The dry grass underneath you was soft enough to rest against, but only Luffy looked ready to relax. You were still scratching your head at the new information. The swordsman you had met was lost in the desert. 

You might have saved him without realizing.

“Shishi~ What’s wrong, (Y/n)? Do you want Zoro to thank you? I can tell him he needs to--”

“No, no, it’s not that,” you shake your head, sniffling a laugh. “It’s just--I don’t--He?--I’m just processing it. Honestly, I’m not too surprised when I think about it.” Dotty meowed from her spot on the branches. You pointed at her and added, “Dotty knew immediately that your crew member was lost. She was ready to herd him to town before I considered it.”

“Good job, Dotty!” 

You and Luffy spent the rest of your time together talking by the tree. He told you about his crew after you had gotten over your bewilderment. According to Luffy, the Strawhat Crew was made up of nine members. Zoro and Chopper were the only ones you had met in person, and Luffy hoped you would meet the rest of his nakama. 

“We’re at that inn I met you at. Franky will be coming the day after tomorrow I think? Nami said he’s checking on the ship before leaving. He’ll get here in a day because he made something called the Franky Dune Rider II. I can’t wait to see it!”

“Must be something incredible if it’ll cross the desert in a day.”

“Yeah~ So, want to meet my crew at the inn? We can all eat together. Sanji has been talking with the chef to ask if he can use the kitchen, so you can eat his cooking tomorrow--”

“Ah, Luffy, I’m sorry to interrupt--” You held up a hand, stopping the pirate’s sentence. “--but I can’t tomorrow. I have an important appointment I have to go to.”

“Eehh? Really? Hm, well okay.” Luffy’s pout was short-lived as a smile spread across his face. “I can get Zoro to see the town tomorrow. He got to the inn and spent the rest of the day sleeping and eating.”

“Oh, huh, sounds like my kinda day,” you muttered offhandedly and then shook your head. “Anyways, I’ll be in Florette, but I won’t stay. I don’t...I don’t want to stay.” You cleared your throat as if dislodging something that was preventing you from speaking the truth. “I don’t feel comfortable staying in Florette for long, so I’ll see you the day after if that’s okay?”

“Okay, I’ll see you then.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Take a deep breath in. Hold it.” The doctor listened and counted in her mind. “Slowly let it out.” Sophia nodded, approving of the results. “Your lungs sound good. Do you follow the 8-10 hour rule thoroughly?”

“Don’t wear the binder for longer than twelve hours. Once in a blue moon I wear it when I’m in the desert, and I rarely come to town which is when I wear it for the longest.”

“Good. I don’t have to worry about you getting a heat stroke or anything.” The doctor removed the stethoscope off your back and let you pull down your shirt. “How has the medicine been working for you? Is the dosage a good amount?”

“I’ve been well,” you slid off the clinic’s bed and stretched. Doctor Sophia handed you your binder. “Thank you. My depression and anxiety are in check for the most part. It only spikes when I’m in town. Having Dotty with me helps.” The cat’s head reared up at the mention of her name. She hopped off her spot on the chair to run up to you and meow. “Let me get my binder back on and then you can sit on my shoulders.”

“I’m happy you’re feeling better.” 

The doctor watched you walk into the bathroom so you could put your binder on. While she waited, she updated your medical chart with the new information she had taken. Dotty waited outside the door and swiped her paw under the gap. You opened the door when you were finished and scooped the wildcat into your arms.

“You’ve been doing well with your anxiety. You spoke to somebody while in the town. Who was that new person staying at Silvia’s inn? Luffy was his name?” The doctor raised an eyebrow when she noticed your demeanor change. You were holding Dotty in your arms, petting her soft fur, and a contemplating expression crossed your face. 

You needed to talk.

Doctor Sophia led you to her private office in the clinic, and she locked the door behind you. She pushed the two chairs in front of her desk to be across from each other. She was going to have a one-on-one conversation with you as a friend, so she wasn’t going to have her desk be in between you two. After she had arranged it to her liking, she motioned for you to take a seat. 

“Tell me, what’s on your mind? Is something going on?”

“I’m...I’m not sure.” Dotty curled up on your lap. She resumed to nap, and you pet her fluffy fur. “I guess to start, I feel...uneasy? No, that’s not the word. Confused I think is the word.”

“What confused you?”

“Luffy.”

“I see.” The doctor leaned back into her chair, an eyebrow raised. She crossed her legs and leaned her head against her right hand. “And how has he confused you?”

“I feel like I don’t have control over my emotions when I’m around him.” At the doctor’s questioning hum, you continued. “I mean...I find myself smiling and laughing when I don’t expect it. I become talkative when around him. Hell, I spoke to him while in Florette the first time we met. I just...I can’t seem to keep my emotions in check.” Your eyes narrowed in concentration. Or frustration. You weren’t sure. “I don’t know what’s up with me.”

“Maybe it’s because you’re having fun around him, (Y/n).” Sophia smiled and uncrossed her legs. She leaned forward and her eyes shined. “You’ve made a friend. Isn’t it exciting?”

“I guess?” At the doctor’s intense stare, you looked down at Dotty and muttered, “I am having fun, but...a part of me is scared.”

“What are you scared of?”

“His unpredictability. He’s so surprising. I find myself hoping when I should be cautious. I thought he and his crew would set sail by now, but he’s chosen to stay longer. I don’t understand why. Why?”

“Why not?” The doctor responded, making you look up. “(Y/n), I know you’re cautious to get close to people. With what’s happened in the past...I know it’s difficult.” Sophia leaned back into her chair letting the words hang in the air. She knew references to Gabriel would be painful to you. “Still, you must persist. You’ve come to trust me, and I’m relatively new to this island.” 

“Well that’s because...because…” Your voice weakened. “You trusted me with something important to you. Something deeply personal. I knew I could trust you.”

“That’s fair. Still, I took a gamble when I told you. If the town knew, I’m sure I wouldn’t be welcomed.” You frowned knowing she was right. Sophia passed as a cis woman, so she was safe from prying eyes. Or worse. “I took a chance to tell you. In return, you’ve become my friend and got me to trust Silvia so I could tell her.”

“I knew Silvia would be somebody you could tell. She was always kind and accepted Gabriel, so I knew you could trust her.”

“I wouldn’t have gotten the chance to befriend Silvia if I hadn’t befriended you. I couldn’t be your friend if I didn’t allow myself to trust you.”

Your shoulders slumped and you looked to the side. “That’s true.” 

“Exactly. Listen to me. I’m right about many things.”

“You took a chance, but wasn’t it because you knew I’m nonbinary?”

“That is true,” the doctor nodded. “You wearing a binder was a clue, and Sophia confirmed my suspicions. In a way, I had that as an assurance. When you think about it, wouldn’t Luffy being a newcomer assure you he’s more accepting than what you’ve been exposed to?”

“A-Ah, I guess so?”

“Pirates live by their own code. From what I’ve seen of this crew, their code is something I like. They’re respectful and aren’t demanding or hurtful to others.”

“They’re pretty strong,” you hummed in thought remembering Zoro. “They have to be while out at sea, but I don’t think his crew is one that attacks unprovoked. ‘Do no harm, but take no shit’ seems to be their philosophy.”

“Then take that as an incentive to try and honestly get close to him, to his crew. Who knows? This could be the beginning of something wonderful.”

“Hmm…”

“What else is on your mind? I know there’s something else there.”

“Well, it’s just…” You purse your lips as you remembered the Strawhat captain’s offer. “Luffy wants me to meet his crew, but I don’t know if I’m ready to…”

“Ahh, meeting a bunch of strangers. I can see how that’s nerve wracking. Then how about this: Let’s go to La Petite Source.” 

You opened your mouth, but the doctor held up a hand to stop you before you could say anything. You closed your mouth and pursed your lips with an uneasy hum. You had to admit; you admired the doctor’s straightforward approach to situations. A ‘rip the bandaid off’ type of woman. Well, with the exception of one thing...

“You don’t have to meet them today. Just see them from a distance. I’ve only gotten to know the doctor of the crew, but they’re all interesting. I’ll be by your side and you can just get a look at them, see how you feel. I’ll be there to support you if you’re uncomfortable, okay?” 

“I-I guess.” 

It would be a lie to say you weren’t a little nervous with the idea, but you would get the chance to see Silvia if you went. The doctor would be there by your side to talk if need be, and Luffy seemed to be understanding about your boundaries. If you told him you needed to leave, you had a feeling he wouldn’t try and force you to stay.

“Okay, let’s go to La Petite Source,” you sat up straight, determined to go see the crew. “I can at least do that.” You poked Dotty to wake her up. The wildcat’s confused chirp made you smile. While you were petting Dotty awake, you added, “Maybe you can get a chance to ask Silvia on a date while we’re there.”

“H-Hey! Don’t tease me now, I’m helping you!” The doctor’s cheeks warmed as you replied with a small smirk. “Geez, you’re somber one second and cheeky the next…”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Den Den Mushi are snails that are used for communication throughout the world. They have the mysterious ability to telepathically communicate with each other, apparently through electronic signals. 

There is a specific species of Den Den Mushi called Black Den Den Mushi. 

These snails remain small for its entire lifespan, and enjoy "eavesdropping" on the signals of the standard variety. For this reason, Black Den Den Mushi are most commonly used by the Marines to wiretap calls between pirates and others. Because of this, Florette citizens should not be able to hide pirates away. The Marine Base kept tabs on the towns of Zermatt Island. Trying to warn others that the Marines were coming would make citizens accomplices. 

It would be a problem, however, if the town couldn’t make money off pirates. So, what was the town to do? How could they let others know “Hey, if you happen to have a pirate that’s not causing trouble, and you’re making money, you better tell them to hide now,” without alerting the Marines?

“Hi, La Petite Source?” the woman on the other line sounded chipper. Silvia recognized it was the butcher’s wife. “I know with a new menu, the cafe must be busy. Tell me dear, do you have sugar for the deserts? My husband and I are thinking of buying some sweets while supplies last~”

Silvia’s eyes widened. The businesses of Florette had made codewords for pirates, and every month the businesses would gather to state what their word for “pirates” would be. The code for La Petite Source that month was “Sugar”. Do you have pirates in your inn? Silvia made sure to keep her expression calm. The Den Den Mushi on the other side was copying her, and she didn’t want to look (or sound) guilty.

“Thank you for checking in on us,” The innkeeper smiled. “Despite the amount of sweets my mother is making, we have sugar. The inn is doing well with customers who love her cooking.” _Yes, I have pirates in my inn. Please keep the Marines at bay, we want to keep these customers._

“I see, I see~ That’s good. Well, I’ll let you go now dear. I’m going to try and sell my husband’s good’s to these nice gentlemen.” _I’ll try to buy you as much time as I can before the Marine’s head in your direction._

Silvia and the woman both hung up at the same time. Silvia rushed to the kitchen and relayed the news to her mother. They would have about ten minutes to set up their scene.

_Meanwhile Upstairs…_

The room the guys were staying at was upgraded to include two people. Zoro didn’t care if he slept on the floor, but the innkeeper had gotten him a futon to lay on the floor of the boy’s room. Franky would have to sleep on one as well unless one of the other crew members gave up their bed--that would be a tomorrow problem. Currently, the six men were in the same room.

“You know, from what you’ve told me Luffy--” Zoro yawned as he leaned into the leather armchair of the room. “I’m surprised you haven’t asked (Y/n) to join the crew.” At hearing no response, Zoro glanced over at his captain and saw him frozen in place on the bed. “O-Oi, you okay Lu--?”

“Ahhh! I forgot to ask?!” Luffy clasped his head as the realization hit him like a Sea Train. He had been having so much fun talking, playing games, and exploring with you that he’d forgotten. He forgot to ask you the question he most frequently asked when he met somebody interesting. He was shocked at his own broken routine. 

“Ehh? I kind of assumed you might’ve asked already,” Sanji added before he blew smoke out the open window. “When I think about it, you haven’t mentioned anything about asking this person to join when you talk about them.”

“I need to ask today---ah, no wait,” Luffy scratched the side of his head as he sat crossed legged on the bed.. “I won’t see them today. Dammit, how could I forget??”

“Haha~ don’t worry Luffy. Nami said we’ll be on this island longer, you’ll get a chance to ask.” Usopp assured his captain with a pat on the back. He rubbed his chin when he realized something. “Oi, when I think about it though, only Chopper and Zoro have actually seen this (Y/n) person, right?” Luffy nodded while Chopper made his way onto the bed he and Usopp were sitting at. “Chopper here was able to give me more information than Zoro.”

“Shut up,” came the curt reply from Zoro. 

“Will we get the chance to meet this stranger?” Brook asked as he leaned over Luffy. His shadow was casting over the captain, the sniper, and the doctor. 

“Yes! Soon, I hope? I wanted (Y/n) to eat dinner with all of us, but--” Luffy’s brows furrowed in contemplation. “--they’re busy today. I think they’d prefer meeting one-on-one though. They’re pretty shy.” 

During the time they were talking, the guys missed how Silvia had sprinted up the stairs and was pulling out two enormous luggage bags from the attic. She went on to knock on Nami and Robin’s door. After quick instructions, the two pirates agreed to her commands and took the offered bag. Silvia picked up the remaining bag and was then knocking on the men’s door. 

“I need to come in, quickly!”

“Haaaaai~ Silvia-swan~! You’ve come to see me~” Sanji danced his way to the door and greeted the innkeeper with heart-eyes. She brushed past him with little hesitation. “Melody~”

“I’m going to cut to the chase right here, right now.” Silvia dragged the luggage to the middle of the room. Her straightforwardness made everybody in the room gather around her to see what she had prepared for them. “The Marines are on their way--don’t be alarmed.” She lifted her hand, stopping any interruption that was about to bubble up. “They haven’t been called on you or anything.”

“T-Thank goodness!” Usopp sighed, but his nerves still shot up when he asked, “Why are they coming??”

“The Marines sometimes check up on Florette from time to time,” Silvia unzipped the bag, showcasing the various clothes, wigs, and hats inside. “So, in order to protect our customers, Florette businesses find different ways to hide people. I have disguises for you to choose from and blend into the town. Start thinking up a story for why you’re here. I’ve told Nami-san and Robin-san the same thing; talk to them to get your stories straight.”

“Ehhh? We have to put on costumes?” Luffy tilted his head and hummed. 

“If you want to blend in, you should hide whatever makes you stand out that announces ‘I’m a member of so-and-so crew.’ For example, those three swords--” Silvia pointed at Zoro who flinched at the idea. “--and your hat plus your scar.” Silvia added as she looked directly at the captain. 

“Hmph,” Luffy tugged on the sides of his hat, a frown blooming on his face. “I’m not taking my treasure off.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your pace to La Petite Source was sluggish, and you were aware of it. Dotty was napping across your shoulders, so she was just waiting for you to arrive at your destination. She yawned while you sighed. The wildcat was calm as could be. Meanwhile, you were hoping Doctor Sophia would hurry and catch up with you.

The doctor had to leave your side because she had been stopped by a farmer. It wasn’t an emergency or anything, but he was hoping Sophia would give his wife a quick checkup. The older woman might have strained a muscle while she was working on her garden. You assured the doctor it would be fine, and that you would see her at the cafe.

_It’ll be okay. I can just wait nearby, I don’t have to go in just yet._ The cafe/inn was in view, and it looked like it had many customers at the entrance. _I hope Silvia doesn’t get overwhelmed, that’s a lot...of...oh no._

There were around fifteen people at the cafe. Every single one of them wore the recognizable white and blue uniform.

From their relaxed postures, you assumed that the men were there on patrol rather than there to arrest somebody. They had come from the capital and were finishing their rounds near the southern side of Florette. The cafe was a great spot for travelers who wanted to cool down after dealing with the sun, so this group was probably looking for a fresh drink and a hearty meal after doing their job. 

It felt as if icicles were piercing your heart. 

_M-Marines?! Why are they here? Why today of all days??_

You wanted nothing to do with the Marines. They left you alone, and you made sure to be far from them because you didn’t want any potential _problems_. The Marines were already at the cafe, so what could you do? It technically wasn’t your problem. If you tried to interfere, it would **become** your problem. 

_The most logical choice would be to not get myself involved._

_Right…?_  
…  
…   
… 

You found yourself walking towards the cafe. Dotty awoke with a confused chirp before she yawned and stretched. Now awake, she saw that the cafe was within view, and she saw the numerous men. Her eyes squinted and she hissed. 

_What am I doing? This is stupid! If they already know pirates are here, I’m making myself an accomplice by interfering!_

You were jogging up to La Petite Source. Dotty braced herself against you. Her little, wet nose felt your carotid artery when she placed it against your neck. She felt your heartbeat pick up its pace. It wasn’t just because you were going faster.

_I’m going because I don’t want the cafe to be damaged again! Silvia is my friend, and she and her mom already deal with enough bullshit as it is!_

You were running, and Dotty was prepared for whatever instructions you gave her.

_Dammit! I don’t want Luffy to leave! I just made a new friend, you assholes! Don’t make his crew leave before I even get the chance to meet them!_


	11. Why I Don't Talk

Once you were within walking distance of the cafe, you slowed down and tried to steady your breathing. It would look suspicious if you were out of breath. The men were looking around confused because the innkeeper was nowhere in sight, so you had the upper hand to draw their attention away from any potential pirates at the cafe. 

“Ehhh? I hear somebody in the kitchen, maybe she’s there?” 

“Should I go check upstairs for somebody?”

Two soldiers were about to make their move, but you cleared your throat in order to draw everybody’s attention. Your nerves froze when their eyes were on you, but you needed to keep everybody in the dining area and away from the second floor. You walked over to the front desk in order to fetch a pencil and a notebook. 

While you were scribbling away, the leader of the group approached you. His attire was more detailed than the others. He was tall, lean but muscular, and had wavy chestnut brown hair that almost looked red. His clean shaven face showed off a square jawline and a friendly smile. He removed his hat and placed it under his arm before he bowed to you. 

“(Y/n)-san,” you took half a step back. “It’s an honor to meet you.” When he noticed your weary expression and how Dotty was glaring at him, he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck. “A-Ah, I apologize, (Y/n)-san. I’m Dutertre Cyril, Captain at the Marine base stationed in Verte.”

His introduction didn’t make you feel any better. Wasn’t Gustav the captain?

“I was stationed here a year ago. The previous captain is the commodore now.” 

He answered your question. Gustav was promoted after he’d wrongfully arrested Gabriel. If Gustav was a commodore, it might mean that he wasn’t on the island anymore. You wondered if there were more captains stationed at the Marine base now after last year’s incident with the pirates. It was scary to remember that day. 

“Please forgive my sudden familiarity. I’ve heard about you and recognized you because of the Sekhmet cat on your shoulders.”

You nodded, accepting his apology. You handed him the paper you had been writing on before he could say anything else. You had a feeling he wanted to hold a conversation. You, on the other hand, had a mission to complete. He asked what the paper was for, but you had walked away from him in order to be at the steps leading up to the second floor. 

You placed Dotty at the foot of the stairs, and she stared up at you watching your hands. You made both into a palm-down "Y" handshape. One hand went into a forward thrust. Then, both hands were in a relaxed flat hand shape before you moved them forward in small circles.

//Stay. Here.//

She chirped concerned, but she listened to your instructions. The soldiers looked among themselves, but Dutertre was reading the letter you wrote. You heard the soldiers whispering among themselves wondering what you were doing and how you got a Sekhmet cat to listen to you. It seemed that most of the men had grown up on Zermatt and knew about the wildcat species.

“Everybody take a seat,” the Captain instructed as he folded the paper. “(Y/n)-san is going to serve us hot tea to combat the heat. Silvia-san is working upstairs doing house chores since the housekeeper isn’t here.”

You weren’t lying. 

“Oh, so the housekeeper has today off then.” A soldier added with a shrug. “Must be tough for the hostess to serve the cafe and be upstairs too.”

You simply withheld the whole truth. 

The housekeeper Silvia had hired happened to be at the drycleaners. You saw her on your way to the cafe. The middle aged blonde was gathering fresh sheets and turning in dirty ones, but she stayed to chat with the owners. All of her work was done by lunchtime, so there was no rush for her to return to La Petite Source. Silvia needing to clean was an assumption you were going to let the men believe. 

As you made your way to the kitchen, the doors flung open to reveal a flustered Madame Garreaux. When she saw you frozen in place and all the Marine soldiers behind you taking their seats, she straightened her apron and cleared her throat. She smiled at you while glancing between the soldiers and the stairs Dotty was guarding. 

“A-Ah, haha, welcome (Y/n), dear. Have you seen Silvia?” You shake your head, but you point to the stairs where Dotty was curled up at. If Silvia was upstairs, you had left the wildcat in charge of not letting anybody get past her. “O-Oh, that’s right! She’s, um, getting something for me. I’ll just go upstairs myself to get it~”

Madame Garreaux gave you a subtle nod before she headed to the second floor. On her way up, she stated that she had made appetizers for the soldiers. She would serve them as soon as she got that thing she needed to get. The thing was very important you see, and she needed it now.

“Please, take your time Madame,” said Dutertre. “We’ll wait. Thank you for your hospitality.”

You walked into the kitchen and then ran to heat up the kettle for the tea. You looked over the tossed salad Madame Garreaux was making and wondered if it was finished. You decided it would have to do. If there was food ready to eat, the Marines would stay put. You began to scoop the salad onto plates while the tea kettle was heating up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You can’t be serious…”

“I am serious,” Luffy tugged on his strawhat again while Silvia stared at him. “I’m not taking my hat off. Besides, I saw an old man wearing a strawhat too, so I’m not the only one wearing it.”

“Oh my god--if you’ll just--hmm,” Silvia began to massage her temples, and she ignored how Sanji and Usopp were getting onto their captain. “Okay, listen, I want to keep you guys here. As customers, you’re pretty great. You’re a large group so you eat a lot. I love when my maman gets to cook because it makes her happy, and for the most part you all keep to yourselves. I appreciate that, so please reconsider the disguises.”

Silvia walked to the door at the same time Nami and Robin were leaving their room. She was happy to see the pirates dressed up with their new wigs. The hostess noted how long hair suited the woman just as well as their shorter hair. Silvia turned around before she was out the room.

“You’re respectful and that’s not something I usually see with pirates. However, if push comes to shove, I can’t say I’m going to put myself between you and the Marines. I have my maman, my friends, and my cafe to look out for.”

At that moment, three women arrived at the door to the guy’s room. Nami and Robin moved aside to let the out of breath Madame Garreaux get to her daughter. As Silvia asked what was wrong, the chef waved off her concern in order to gather her words.

“Silvia, hurry downstairs, the Marines are here, they’re wanting food, and (Y/n) is downstairs with them!”

“W-What?!”

“Ehh? (Y/n) is here?” A wide smile graced Luffy’s face. He didn’t think he’d get the chance to see you. Any concerns about the Marines were out the window the moment Luffy realized you were close by. “I’m going to go see them! Most of my crew is here, but Franky will be here soo--”

“Stop.”

“Hm??” Luffy froze mid step when Silvia’s outstretched arm was blocking his way out. He was surprised at the glare the hostess was giving him. The captain straightened his posture ready for whatever it was Silvia wanted to say to him.

“I bet you’re strong. Okay, fine. You have no problem fighting against the Marines. But, know this, if you fight them it means you’ll have to leave.” Silvia crossed her arms, glare still in place. “Headquarters will be informed, you and your crew will race across the desert to avoid them, and (Y/n) won’t see you again. Is that what you want to do?”

Luffy didn’t answer. 

“(Y/n) is terrified of the Marines, but they’re putting their neck on the line right now to buy us time. Please don’t let their efforts go to waste.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Is it just me, or is the salad a little, um, bland?”

“Just add some dressing, don’t be picky.”

“It doesn’t even have croutons…”

You poured more tea into a soldier’s empty cup all the while keeping your gaze down. You were chastising yourself for not adding more to the appetizers. You didn’t want to mess with the chef’s creation, but maybe adding the croutons wouldn’t have been a problem. You went to the captain’s table to refill his drink, and he greeted you with a bright smile. 

“Thank you, (Y/n)-san,” the captain watched as you poured the drink and nodded to him. “Um, I hope this isn’t too straightforward, but you can call me Cyril. I feel it’s impolite that I refer to you by first name already without asking you to do the same.”

You nodded again. You were about to leave for another table, but the captain stopped you by calling your name. 

“E-Erm, so you have a Sekhmet cat. That’s incredible. From what I’ve read up on them, they’re tiny powerhouses.” You tilted your head confused. He wanted to talk about Dotty? “Since I’m not from this island, I’ve researched the animals of Zermatt Island. Sekhmet cats are an incredible species.”

You responded with a half-smile, happy he appreciated the majesty that is Dotty. You looked over at the wildcat as she tucked her feet under her body. She looked like a loaf of bread, and the image made you chuckle. The captain smiled, chuckled, and scratched the back of his head. 

“So cute, haha.”

“Huh? That tiny thing is a powerhouse?” A soldier from two tables down stood up and began walking towards the stairs. “I don’t see what the big deal is. It looks like a housecat.”

“Petty Officer Robert,” the captain growled the name, but the man was already by the steps. You set the kettle down in a hurry on the captain’s table before you rushed over to try and stop the man. 

“Here kitty, kitty~” Robert leaned forward a little with an outstretched hand, but then immediately recoiled when Dotty hissed at him. The petty officer didn’t know something could look so cute one second and demonic the next. He took a step back. He didn’t want to admit that Dotty was giving off an intimidating air. For a second, he felt as if he were prey to a mighty beast.

You approached and stood between the agitated wildcat and the spooked soldier. You lifted your arms in front of you and moved your hands side to side in a slow, relaxed manner with your palms facing down. 

//Take it easy//

Dotty huffed, but she shook herself before relaxing into a loaf again. She stared up at you waiting to see if there were more instructions. 

“Petty Officer Robert, I take it you’re also not from here, correct?” Cyril asked. The soldier hesitated to turn around. He expected his fellow men to be snickering at what happened. When he turned around, he didn’t see anybody containing their laughter. Instead, most of the men looked relieved he was away from the wildcat. A few were looking as confused as him.

“N-No sir. I was stationed here.”

“Any local will tell you not to underestimate a Sekhmet cat. They may be small, but they’re fast and pack a punch. Try to corner them, and they’ll scratch your eyes out before you realize.” The petty officer gulped and slowly looked over to where you were petting Dotty. She was back to looking cute. “Have a seat soldier.”

“Yes sir.”

Your back was the everybody, so they didn’t see your sigh of relief. The man didn’t try to go past Dotty. The Marines didn’t know Luffy’s crew was upstairs. You stood up and began to walk back to the captain’s table in order to grab the kettle. Then from the stairs, Dotty meowed at somebody. 

“Ara~? If you’re here, it means an incredibly kind person is here too.” You whipped around to see Silvia descending the stairs with a graceful smile on her lips. You made a beeline to her open arms. She hugged you tightly, feeling your body shiver. “Thank you, I’m sorry I took a while. You’re safe,” she whispered into your ear. 

“Ooh, the hostess, Silvia-san!” 

“Silvia-san, you’re finally here~”

“Ehh, (Y/n)-san is so lucky…”

The hostess let go of you after a few seconds in order to greet the men. She waved while keeping a pleasant smile on her face. You were always impressed with how the young woman was able to handle so much attention and flirting from customers. You were only there for a few minutes, and you were ready to bolt it out of the cafe without waiting for the doctor. 

“I’ll take your orders, please be ready by the time I’m at your table. I’m a busy woman as you can imagine~” 

Silvia giggled which had the men blushing at her charms. You, however, were busy scooping Dotty into your arms before you placed her on your shoulder. You passed Silvia and gave her a quick salute on your way to the door. You needed to leave and you needed to leave now.

“It was a pleasure talking to you, (Y/n)-san.” Cyril uttered when you passed his table. He didn’t think you’d hear him, so he took a sip of his tea and looked back at his soldiers. You took a few steps backwards until you were beside the captain again. Your nod and small smile of acknowledgement almost made him spit out his tea. “H-Have a good day (Y/n)-san…”

You were almost away from the uncomfortable situation. You were almost out the door and away from the Marines. 

Almost.

“(Y/n)!!” 

You had one foot out the door when you heard the familiar voice call to you. You looked over your shoulder to see Luffy at the foot of the stairs. You turned around as he was making his way to you. You noticed he had a pair of goggles on his strawhat that covered the red ribbon attached. There was also a bandaid under his eye covering his scar. 

“(Y/n)! I didn’t think I’d see you today, I’m so happy you’re here, shishi~” 

“Oh? You’re a friend of (Y/n)-san?” Cyril asked.

“Yup!” Luffy responded and then went onto grab your hand. He led you and Dotty out of the cafe without a second thought. It made Cyril do a double take before he called out to the two of you. 

“Hey, wait, what’s your name??”

“Don’t know! Ask my crew!” 

“A-Ask your crew??”

You lifted your hand to cover the smile blooming on your face. You had to suppress a laugh that wanted to bubble out of you. Ask his crew? Was he unable to think of a lie on the spot? Luffy gave your hand a squeeze, pulling you away from your thoughts. You finally noticed how you had been shaking a little. Not too much, but enough to make you wonder if you were close to having a panic attack.

“What an odd fellow,” the captain mumbled while he stared at the doorway you and Luffy had left from. 

“Please don’t pay him too much attention. He’s a bit of an airhead.” 

The Marines all had their eyes on the beautiful, blonde woman who arrived from the second floor. Her hair was pulled back in a messy but cute bun. The gorgeous stranger was followed by another beauty with long, dark brown hair. The brunette’s icy blue eyes were full of mirth when she noted how the soldiers straighten their uniforms. 

“Are you his crew members?” Cyril looked over at the woman, and saw how his men were trying to make themselves presentable, approachable, and manly. 

“Yes, we’re merchants.” The brunette smiled and added. “He joined recently as an apprentice. I’m Madame Byrd, the bookkeeper for our ship.”

“And I’m Naomi, the treasurer.” The blonde responded with a million Beri smile. “It’s nice to meet all of you~”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You didn’t know where Luffy was taking you. Wherever it was he had in mind, he was determined. He hadn’t let go of your hand since the cafe. You were far from La Petite Source, but you kept seeing other Marines throughout the town. Every time, Luffy would change your destination in order to avoid collision with them. At every turn, it seemed impossible to avoid seeing the white and blue uniforms. 

“Dammit, where can we stop at where there’s no Marines??”

Luffy scratched the side of his head as he looked side to side and even up and down. You were pulled along until you both saw a tiny park. It looked more like an overgrown garden because of how overtaken it was with flowers. The moss green leaves were equal to the amount of red, pink, and white flowers blooming. The flowers’ petals ranged from short and rounded to elongated and thin. 

Nobody was there.

“Ah! Let’s go here. Do you like flowers, (Y/n)?”

At your subtle nod, Luffy took you to the garden. He let go of your hand in order to move the overarching flowers and leaves aside. You ducked and entered the park with Luffy following you. Once inside the park, you made your way to a patch of dry dirt in front of the park’s statue. It was of a woman holding her infant child. A commemoration of familial love.

When you sat down cross legged, you took a deep breath. Dotty hopped off your shoulders in order to sit on your lap. She curled up to be snug in your legs, and then she closed her eyes to relax.

“Sheesh, where did all those Marines come from?” Luffy adjusted his hat since the leaves almost knocked it off when he entered behind you. “Hey, (Y/n), are you busy right now? Did you finish what you needed to do?”

At your silence, Luffy crooked his head confused. He was going to repeat himself since he assumed you hadn’t heard him. Luffy then noted how you were staring off. You weren’t looking at the statue; you were somehow looking past it as if it were invisible. Or it just wasn’t there. 

“(Y/n)?”

“...Hm.”

Luffy plopped himself across from you. He crossed his legs and leaned forward. His straightforwardness broke you from your trance. You blinked, leaned back, and blushed. You turned your head in order to look anywhere except his piercing eyes. You heard the pirate hum in contemplation, but you were busy trying not to be embarrassed by your close proximity.

“Are you okay? Do you feel better?” Luffy leaned back, which let you sit up straight again. “You looked really worried before. The Marines scare you that much?”

You looked down and began petting Dotty. You nodded but stayed quiet. The wildcat’s purring was helping you calm down. The silence hung in the air for a few seconds, and it made you uncomfortable. There was so much you wanted to say, but you knew trying to speak at the moment was going to be difficult. 

You didn’t have pen and paper to talk to Luffy, but you wanted to find a way to talk to the pirate. You didn’t want him to assume you didn’t want his company. You noted the dry dirt by your legs and decided that would do. 

_What can I say?_ Your index finger hovered over the ground as you tried to find the right words to say. _Do I say, ‘Sorry about not talking, when I’m in Florette I freeze up?’ or ‘The Marines scare me because they took someone dear to me?’ or ‘I’m sure you have questions for me---’ All of those are too long!_

You scribbled on the dirt.

//Thank you// 

“Eh?” 

Luffy tilted his head to the side as he read the upside down words. Realizing what you’d done, you were about to erase the words to write them again so they were right side up for him. Before you could do that, Luffy scooted himself so he was sitting right beside you. He truly wasn’t adverse to sitting close to you.

“Thank you...for what exactly? Taking you away from the cafe place?” You nodded. “Shishi, you’re welcome. I just didn’t like seeing you so uncomfortable. You looked like you were going to run out. Why aren’t you talking by the way? Does your throat hurt?”

You shake your head. You erased the previous note and wrote on the ground again.

//I don’t talk in town//

“Why?”

//In town, I don’t feel--// You lifted your hand, unsure of how to continue. Luffy waited and saw how your eyebrows furrowed. Did you not know why you didn’t talk? //Safe//

“Ehhh? You don’t feel safe here?” At your nod, Luffy frowned. “Who’s not making you feel safe? Want me to kick their ass?” Luffy cracked his knuckles, ready to fight whoever. His anger was satiated for a second because you smiled. It was a brief but honest smile. 

//It’s okay//

“No it’s not.” Luffy crossed his arms and pouted. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in Luffy’s head. “Oh! (Y/n), there’s something I wanted to ask you.” The captain smiled his toothy smile. He believed his question would be the solution to your discomfort. “Join my crew!”

You stared at the Strawhat captain as if he had grown another head. 

_That’s not a question, that’s a command!_

“Shishishi~”

//What?//

“Join my crew! I want you to sail with us.”

//Luffy, I just met you//

“Yeah?”

//No//

Luffy stared at the two letter word, his smile still in place. You wondered if he was going to react with frustration or confusion. 

“Hmm, nope!” Luffy rocked side to side, his shoulder bumping into your shoulder a little. “I reject it.” At your confusion, Luffy only added, “I want you to join us and sail the seas.”

//Why?//

“Because you’re really cool and I like being around you.”

//I can’t// Luffy stopped moving when he read your note. 

//I have to--// You erased the words. 

//Can’t just--// Erase. 

//I--// Erase. 

//Not yet?//

“(Y/n)?” You erased the words in a frantic manner. You weren’t sure why you wrote the last note. “Ah! Is it because you haven’t met my nakama yet? You’ll love them, but I guess you need to meet them first. Maybe meeting everybody at the cafe is too much? Hmmm…”

You ran a hand down your face, the last note still running through your head. Not yet? Not yet?? That implied that you were going to join! You didn’t know why you had written that. It, however, felt like the right thing to say. Those words brought about a different question all together: what was holding you back from joining?

“Yosh! That decides it.” Luffy nodded at his own plan. You looked over at the confident pirate. “You’ll meet everybody one by one whenever you get the chance to. Who would be the best person to meet first? Ah, you’ve met Chopper and Zoro at least.”

//What?//

“You’re going to meet my nakama.” Luffy explained. “Whenever you’re ready and they’re alone, you’ll meet them. That way, you can get to know each other before you join us on Sunny.”

_Are you mad?? Are you just deciding this on your own? What if I’m never ready? What if I want to run away? What if you realize you and your nakama are better off without me joining?_

You put your finger to the ground ready to write the spiraling thoughts racing through your head. Luffy clearly wasn’t thinking clearly. You becoming a pirate? You couldn’t.

//Okay//

_Dammit!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doctor Sophia slowed her pace when she saw a green haired man with three swords exit the second floor window. He landed unscratched and unbothered outside of La Petite Source.. The blond man from the pirate crew poked his head out the window before he started yelling something. He threw a bag down and gave instructions. He went back inside.

The skeleton with an afro was then thrown out the window to accompany the swordsman. 

“Hm. Not my problem,” Sophia muttered as she shrugged. 

Once at the entrance of the cafe, Sophia saw the group of Marines sitting at the tables. The doctor cursed under her breath as she glanced around to see any sign of you. She was hoping the Marines wouldn’t stop by, but she suspected the worst when she noticed some walking around town.

“Doctor Sophia!” Silvia set down a dish in front of a soldier without looking. The soldier tried to get her attention, but the hostess was almost racing to the entrance. “I didn’t know you’d stop by today, haha.” Silvia smiled and tucked some hair behind her ear. “It’s a pleasant surprise.”

“I’m happy to be here…” The doctor lowered her voice. “Did (Y/n) stop by? Where are your, um, guests? I think I saw a new one jump out the window.”

“Yes, (Y/n) was here, but they left with ‘Luke’. He’s an apprentice for a merchant ship,” Silvia replied. She nodded to the two women in the cafe. A blonde and a brunette. The Marines were clamored around them, almost begging for their attention. They were behaving, however, because of their captain’s watchful eyes. “They’ll fill you in on their crew. You’ve met Madame Byrd and Naomi, right?”

“Yes, of course,” The doctor nodded when she recognized them. “My bad memory made me forget everybody else. Let me get reacquainted with them.” Sophia walked in after Silvia, but she turned to look back outside. “I hope (Y/n) is back in the desert…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to update more frequently, but I still have work. Thank you to everybody that comments and leaves kudos on this story. I reread comments a whole bunch! It makes me super happy that people are looking forward to this story. I hope I've intrigued folks with the direction the story is taking (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و


	12. Liar Liar, Plants for Hire

The plan was simple. 

You and Luffy would continue to meet at the tree you had made your meeting spot. The day you were ready to go into Florette would be the day you would meet the Strawhats. Luffy was going to introduce you to one crew member at a time. Who would be first? It was still undecided. 

You weren’t sure why you had agreed to his plan, but it felt a little too late to back down now. You reasoned with yourself that it was the best option because otherwise you would run away. Luffy was excited for his plan to take place, and he had already told his crew about his intentions.

“Franky is in town now, and the Franky Dune Rider II is so cooool~” 

Luffy’s eyes were shining as he explained the vehicle his shipwright had built. The tree’s shade covered you and Luffy as you ate your meals. Luffy stuffed more food into his mouth, but he continued to talk about the incredible machine. You stopped chewing the food in your mouth and tilted your head. You couldn’t understand him when his mouth was full. Luffy took a big gulp to swallow.

“Maybe you can meet Franky first so you can see it.”

“Hm…”

“Ah? Is it too soon to meet my nakama?”

“I’m sorry,” you muttered and looked over at the tree to see Dotty climbing up the tree trunk. She was hunting a dragonfly. Going back to Florette after a day was too much for you, so you felt you could only apologize. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. Besides, this gives me time to master my disguise.” Luffy crossed his arms and grinned triumphant. “Will you help me?”

“Master your disguise?” 

“Uh-huh. Nami and Robin said they have a story for why we’re here. I have to remember who they are and who I am.” He scratched his cheek and glanced to the side. “I didn’t hear the story yesterday when the Marines were there. I wanted to see you, so I ran out. Nami put the goggles and bandaid on me before I left though, so that’s my disguise now.”

You covered your mouth and looked away. You were stifling a laugh but also hiding your blushing face. 

_He ran out from hearing the plan because he wanted to see me?_ You fanned your face. _Calm down, it’s nothing deep. He’s just impulsive like that._

“So what’s the story?” You set aside your empty food container. “Why are you on this island?”

“Hmm, so the story...the story.” Luffy laughed. “I forgot!”

You ran a hand down your face. 

“Let’s, uh, let’s walk and talk. Maybe we can figure out what your story is.”

You didn’t have a specific place in mind to take Luffy that day. You were only going to walk and enjoy the warm sun together. While walking, you essentially had to interrogate Luffy in order to learn about the made up narrative. He pressed his index finger against his forehead as he tried to remember what he had been told. His face turned red.

“We’re here for supplies, I’m new, aaaaannnd my name is...Lu...Luuuuu….Luffy...I’m going to become the Pirate King!”

“I mean it is, but that’s probably not the fake name. Also, you should probably keep your ambitions hidden from the Marines.” You reached up to scratch Dotty’s chin as she sat on your shoulders. She purred and Luffy pouted. “I’d imagine your crew is mixing some truths with lies so the lies sound natural. You did stop at Zermatt for supplies.”

“Yup! We need stuff before we continue our adventure.”

“So you need supplies. If you’re vague enough about it, you could have people assume you’re also here to trade supplies. Usually merchant ships stop by Florette, so it’s easy to say you’re one of them. If you’re new on a merchant ship, then you're an aspiring merchant. An apprentice to somebody.”

“Oooh~ That’s what it is, we’re merchants~ You’re smart, (Y/n).”

“I--Um, thanks.” You went ahead and accepted the compliment, even though you didn’t believe you had cracked some code. You crossed your arms and sighed as you looked up to the sky for inspiration. “Your fake name probably starts with L-U. So let’s see...Lucas maybe? Umm, Luke? Luis? Lucky---no wait, that’s for a puppy--Ludwig? Oh, that’s fancy~”

“I like Lucky,” Luffy grinned while you raised an eyebrow at him.

“Luffy...you’re not a puppy.” _Even though you kind of remind me of a pup. Or a monkey. A puppy-like monkey or a monkey-like pup?_ “Any of those names ring a bell?”

“Yeah, Lu--”

“And please don’t say it was Lucky.”

“...Luck--”

“Please ask for your pseudo-name again!” 

“Aww, boooo~”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After three days of mulling it over, you decided to go to Florette with Luffy. When you told him your intentions, he was ecstatic. He hadn’t chosen which Strawhat pirate you would meet first, so he was going to leave it to chance. The crew were doing their own things while in the town, so you were bound to come across somebody.

“I’m excited! Are you excited (Y/n)? What about you, Dotty? Are you ready??”

The wildcat turned in your lap so she was belly-side up. Her cute front paws were pawing at the air while she purring with her eyes closed. You smirked at her ‘I am so relaxed and unfazed’ posture. You were thankful Dotty was ready for whatever at least. 

“Tomorrow I’ll meet you at the entrance. I’ll go to Florette instead of us meeting at this tree.” 

You and Luffy set up a time to meet, and you would see where it would go from there. According to Luffy, there were fewer Marines patrolling as well. He didn’t have to wear the bandaid now--he hated the thing. This helped ease your nerves about visiting. 

The day arrived, and you were outside Florette.

You adjusted your clothes for the umpteenth time, but it did little to calm you. You fiddled with your bag to make sure it had everything (again): Pencils, notebook, money, secret pocket, snacks, snacks for Dotty, etc. It was evening, so many citizens were walking around the town. You were so used to heading straight to La Petite Source that seeing so many people was new to you. 

Waiting for somebody at Florette’s edge was unnerving. 

“Mrrr~” Dotty stretched and then flopped on the ground. She was taking a sand bath while the two of you waited for the Strawhat pirate. You raised an eyebrow at her while she only grinned in return.

_I’m happy you’re at least relaxed. Maybe I should’ve waited another day._ You did your best to ignore the glances from people. They at least had the common courtesy to not whisper among themselves. _Or I could avoid doing all of this if I hadn’t agreed to meet Luffy’s crew._

“Ooooi~ (Y/n), Dotty, you’re here,” Luffy waved to you as he came into view. You sighed but then smiled. You didn’t regret your decision when you noticed how happy Luffy was to be face to face with you. “Yosh, let’s see who we can find.”

You reached into your bag and pulled out a pencil and notebook. Luffy waited for you to write what you needed to say. All the while, Dotty shook off excess sand before she climbed her way back to your shoulders. 

//Okay. I’m ready to meet your nakama. Did you tell them I would be here today?//

“Uh-huh. They told me where they’d be today, but they might’ve moved from there.”

//What are some of the places?//

“Chopper went to see the doctor that comes to the inn. Franky is shopping. So are Nami and Sanji, I think? Zoro might be sleeping. Robin said she’s exploring, Brook is at the inn, and Usopp said he’s exploring too.” Luffy held up eight fingers as he counted his friends. 

//Let’s see who we come across then. It’s in Fate’s hands now.//

“Sounds like an adventure, shishishi~” 

With that final note, you and Luffy made your way into the town. 

The sun was warm rather than harsh, and the wind felt comforting. Florette’s famous floral scent swept across the streets, but Luffy only seemed to care about the scent of food. How was he able to pick out the smell of cooked meat among the town? You had no idea, but it astounded you. He was sniffing the air like Dotty did.

You stopped your walk at one point when you saw a pair of familiar silhouettes. Luffy turned to say something to you, but he saw you had stopped. He ran up to you to ask what the delay was, but then he saw the two boys you had noticed. 

//I’ve talked to those kids before. Their names are Hector and Pierre I believe. I’m curious about what’s got their attention.//

Luffy read over your note and crooked his head. At his quizzical look, you shrugged and waved your hand to their general direction. Pierre and Hector had their faces pressed against Grandline International Store’s window display.

//Let’s keep going to--//

“Oooi, whatcha looking at?” Luffy was already walking over. You ran a hand down your face and cursed under your breath. You followed the Strawhat pirate as he greeted the startled boys. When the younger one saw you, he gasped. 

“Hi, (Y/n)! Hi,” he waved at you while his older brother tried to curb his enthusiasm. “I really like your kitty.” 

You stifle a laugh, your eyes full of mirth. The child was so honest; it was refreshing. His brother mumbled under his breath, but you heard his quiet, “Yeah, it’s cool.”

“Oh? You like Dotty? She’s a really cool cat, huh?” Luffy turned to you and snickered. “She’s small but carries herself like a giant.” You nodded in agreement while Dotty purred satisfied. Luffy then noticed what had caught the boy’s eyes. He gasped as he pressed his face against the window. “Oooh~ What is that??”

“It’s, um, it’s a new toy collection.” Hector explained but then crossed his arms. “Robots are cool, but these are too girly for boys even if it’s robot-ish…I-I don’t like them.”

You barely heard Hector’s complaint because you also had your eyes glued to the window display. There was a set-up showing off a new toy set. ‘Clockwork Fauna’ were needle felted dolls of animals with vintage, rusty clothes and gears. Some had goggles, weapons, and other trinkets. They looked robot-ish leaning on organic. There were a variety of animals among the collection. You and Luffy were awed at the different designs each animal had. 

Your eyes were enraptured by one of the cat dolls. Its coloration reminded you of Dotty. Then again, you wouldn’t mind the whole collection.

“I want the sheep,” Pierre pointed. “She looks kind.” This made Hector huff and grumble about it being a girly choice. The dismissal of the older brother saddened you, but then Luffy turned around to stick his tongue out at the boy. 

“What’s wrong with liking the sheep? What’s wrong with liking any of them? Look!” Luffy pointed to a fox who had on a hat with goggles and a mint green scarf. “The fox looks like it’s going on an adventure. Isn’t that cool?” Hector blushed and looked away. “And the dog looks like a shipwright. What about---” Luffy gasped and pressed his face against the glass. “What animal is that??”

You tapped Luffy’s shoulder so he could read your note. //That’s a honey badger. It looks like it's ready to fight. Fitting for a honey badger//

“So...So COOL~!!”

“I...I like the fox one,” Hector muttered before he grabbed Pierre’s hand to drag him away. “We gotta go, bye bye.” You waved at the boys as Hector made his hasty retreat. Luffy didn’t notice their missing presence since he was too distracted by the honey badger’s intense eyes. 

“Which one do you like, (Y/n)? Ara? The kids left?” Luffy looked around until he saw you nod. You held up your note for Luffy.

//I like the cat with the binoculars. It reminds me of Dotty.//

“Luffy, that you?” An unfamiliar voice said behind you. You turned around to see a slim tan-skinned young man with medium-length black woolly hair. He had a long nose, a very defining feature. “Eh, um, are you (Y/n)-san? The person Luffy talks about?”

“Yo, Usopp! Yup, this is (Y/n). And that’s Dotty on their shoulder. (Y/n), this is Usopp, our sniper.”

//It’s nice to meet you//

“Ano…it’s nice to meet you too?”

“(Y/n) doesn’t talk in the town, so that’s why they’re writing stuff down.” Luffy put his arms behind his head. “We got lucky, you found us instead of us looking for you.”

“Yeah, you’re a little hard to miss. Where’s the bandaid? Cover your obvious scar, Luffy. Your disguise is simple and yet you refuse to use it.” Usopp sighed and shook his head. “And you’re the one that asked to stay on this island.”

“It gets itchyyyy. I don’t like it,” Luffy pouted. “You’re not in disguise. You get to walk around like it’s nothing.”

“Well, the best way to hide myself is to not look like I’m hiding.” Usopp smirked and rubbed his chin. “Ha~ Maybe I can give you lessons on being ninja-like~”

//So you don’t have a bounty then?//

There was a silence as your words were read by Luffy and Usopp. The silence was broken by Luffy’s laughter and Usopp’s groan of displeasure. He ran a hand down his face. You looked over your words wondering if you had said something wrong. 

“Oh yeah, I guess that’s true~” While Luffy was chuckling to himself, Usopp pulled you aside for a quick second. 

“I do have a rather high bounty,” Usopp whispered, proud, but then mumbled, “But I have a mask on in the picture. Erm, long story, but I can be out and about compared to Luffy. Please keep an eye on him.”

//I’ll do my best?// 

“Oi, Usopp, what were you doing in town by the way?” 

“Eh? Oh, I wanted to draw. Specifically, I wanted to draw the flowers of this town.” Usopp gestured to the town in general. “Everywhere I look, there’s a bunch of flowers growing on balconies, on walls, and in the streets. It’s like a giant bouquet fell on the town.”

You hummed, agreeing with the sniper. //Florette takes pride in their flowers. It’s a bold task to try and draw all the flowers.//

“Well, Bold is my middle name,” Usopp pointed his thumb at his chest with a great smile gracing his face. “I sketched one of every flower in this town!”

“That sounds tiring.”

“Don’t look down on this task I put on myself, you asshole!”

//You drew all the flowers in Florette?// You had to admit, you were curious if Usopp had completed his task in a day. You were also shocked at how blunt the man was to his own captain. 

“Yup! I was up early in the morning. I explored the whole town.”

//You found the Phantom Orchid? Can I see it?//

“...The what now?”

And that’s how you learned that Usopp had drawn 99% of the flowers in Florette.

You explained what you knew about the flower. It was rare, tiny, grew at random, and it would only show up in the towns of Zermatt Island. You had only seen it in a book about the flora of Zermatt Island. You described what it looked like the best of your abilities, but your memory was foggy.

The flower was so rare that people would pay good money to own one. They grew in a cluster, but their lifespan was short and their offspring could take years to show up again.

//It makes sense that you didn’t draw it. It might not be growing right now. Also, they’re hard to see compared to the colorful flowers in town.//

“Haa, I was so close to completing my task…” Usopp sighed, and Luffy tried to comfort him by patting his back. He patted his back a little hard.

The three of you were sitting on a bench with Luffy in the middle. You were flipping through Usopp’s sketchbook admiring the art. The artwork was lovely, and you thought he’d done an amazing job getting almost all of the flowers in a day. You wished you had at least a petal of the flower. That way, Dotty could use her nose to track it. Said wildcat was currently rummaging through Usopp’s bag. 

//There’s something I want to add// Usopp and Luffy looked at each other confused while you wrote as fast as you could. //The flower is fragile so it mostly blooms at night. Maybe, just maybe, you can see it when the sun is down.//

“Ooh~ So there’s a chance?” Luffy smiled and stood up with his arm in the air. “Yosh! Let’s find this mystery flower. The day isn’t over yet. We should search different parts of the town. I’ll head south because the south is warmer. This flower likes the warmth, right?”

“Luffy, while I appreciate you wanting to help, you looking through the town on your own means you’ll get lost.”

“I won’t be alone. I’ll be with (Y/n). We’ll cover more ground if we split up and search.” 

It was a silly idea. It would be like searching for a needle in the haystack. Even if the moonlight brought out the flower, there was no guarantee it would appear that day. There was no way to know if you would be able to see the tiny thing in the first place. 

And yet, for some reason, you wanted to try.

//No harm in going for a little treasure hunt, right? I’m hoping you do complete your flower sketches.//

“You two…” Usopp sniffled before he wiped his eyes in a dramatic manner. “You’re so nice! I’m fired up now; let’s search for this Phantom!” Usopp bent down to grab his bag. Once he had it on his shoulder, he heard the protesting mewing from within. 

“Oh, Dotty? Did you find food in Usopp’s bag?” Luffy laughed when he saw Dotty’s head pop out. She had a cracker in her mouth. 

“Oi! That’s part of my snack!”

//Sorry! She’s being naughty!//

The three of you had agreed to meet at the bench again after an hour. After that, you would continue to meet up every hour until it was late at night. Luffy was following his instinct on where to look, so there was no attempt to follow a pattern in his search for the flower. It was fine with you because the flower itself was random. Maybe Luffy could crack the code somehow.

The first hour proved to be fruitless. 

Usopp was reluctant to continue, but Luffy was not ready to give up. You were with Luffy on this journey. You wanted to find the flower. 

//I’m willing to search again. I’ll see you two in an hour if you still want to try?//

“Eh?? You want me to go with Usopp?”

//Your method of searching is pretty random, but that could work to find this flower. Try looking through the northside now//

“Ohhh, that’s a pretty good idea (Y/n)-san. After that, it’s only the east and west left to search.” Usopp nodded. “Yosh! We’ll see you in an hour.”

The second hour was also fruitless. 

The three of you slid down on the bench with a sigh. You were feeding Dotty her snacks while Usopp stretched and yawned. The sun had set, and the only illumination was provided by the gaslit lamps on the side of buildings. The three of you stayed in your spots for a while before you gathered the energy to try searching again.

“Haa~ It’s been fun, but I think after this search, I’m ready to turn in for the night.”

You thought about continuing on your own late into the night if you didn’t find the flower in the next hour. Being awake in the middle of the night could prove useful, but you kept your intentions to yourself. You didn’t want to make Usopp feel responsible about you continuing to look for the Phantom Orchid. It was your choice, and you were invested in Usopp sketching 100% of the flowers in Florette. 

Your plan, however, might not happen. You were already feeling drained being in the town for so long. 

You were covering the eastern side of the town with Luffy. Again, you let Luffy follow his instinct. At one point, Luffy became tired. Or bored rather. 

“Haa~ Maybe I’ll have to continue tomorrow.” Luffy leaned against a tree in a spacious park. People had started to turn in for the night, so it was only you and Luffy in the area. The pirate slid down the tree until he was sitting at the base. You sat down as well and let Dotty walk around. 

_It was worth a shot._ You sighed and looked up at the tree. _I hope Usopp isn’t too---eh?_ You squint your eyes and gasp. 

//Here’s the flower!// You tapped Luffy’s shoulder to show him your observation. When he saw it, he looked at you and saw you pointing upwards. //They’re hard to see, but there’s some flowers up there.//

“Oh? You’re right!” 

Luffy squinted his eyes to get a good look at the tree you were pointing at above the both of you. In between the leaves, Luffy was able to make out some of the flowers hidden within. The flower looked like a tiny, white orchid except it had a greatly reduced stem, and its leaves were reduced to scales. The leafless flowers were attached to the trees by thin roots that were difficult to see. 

It gave the appearance of flowers floating in the air.

//Let’s only take one.//

“Okay!” 

Luffy moved to stand underneath one of the flowers. He stretched his arm upwards. Once his hand was near a flower, he grabbed it and dragged it back down. He held it in his closed hand. 

“Yosh, the flower for Uso--eh?” The poor thing was crushed beyond recognition. “Wait, I can grab another one…” Luffy stretched his arm up again and plucked another one. “Here’s a good one--ah, it’s crushed.”

//Please don’t reach again!// You held up the note with a stern look on your face. 

“Ahaha, s-sorry.” Luffy scratched the back of his head. “Hey, you can grab one instead.” You nodded as you looked up at the tree. You already felt bad that two flowers had been ruined, so it would be best to only get one and leave the rest. 

_There’s only a dozen or so growing. I don’t want to mess with them. Let’s not grab this one suddenly. It’s delicate so gotta be gentle..._

“I’ll give you a lift, okay?” 

The closest flower would be in reach if Luffy gave you a boost by having you step on his connected hands, or he could use his arms to wrap around you and lift you up. Luffy, on the other hand, had thought of a different way to give you leverage. While you were still looking up, Luffy crouched behind you and tapped your leg. 

“Yosh, up you go!” In your confusion, you didn’t realize his plan was to have you sit on his shoulders to gain height. 

“W-Woah!”

You gasped and flailed your arms to keep yourself balanced. Your cheeks heated up as thoughts raced through your mind. Thoughts about how embarrassing the scenario was, concerns about your whole body weight on Luffy’s shoulders, and the fear that the two of you would tilt/fall ran through your mind as your whole face felt ablaze. 

“L-Luffy…” you covered your face.

“Hah? What’s wrong? Am I too far from the flower?”

Luffy inched his way closer to the tree until you were about an arm’s length away. You uncover your eyes before you are too close. You held out an arm to touch the tree’s bark. Once your hand made contact with the tree, Luffy stopped moving closer to it. 

“I felt a stop. Are you touching the tree?” He heard you tapping the bark to signal your answer. “Yosh! Are you close enough now to grab a flower?”

“Uh-huh.” You reached over and plucked the flower. 

Mission complete. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oooh! You found it, you actually found it!” Usopp held the flower up as if it were holy. You and Luffy gave each other a thumbs up and grinned. “Right on time too. We need to head back for dinner. Sanji got permission to use the kitchen today.” 

You raised an eyebrow. The chef must be skilled for Madame Garreaux to allow him into her kitchen. 

“Ehh, it’s that late already?” Luffy pat his stomach, feeling the pangs of hunger emerging. “Oi, (Y/n)?” 

“Hm?”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay? Maybe we can go into the town again.”

//Let’s wait and see please. I’m a little tired.//

“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow and we can stay in the desert.”

//I’ll see you tomorrow//

“You’re going to stay in the desert?” Usopp muttered in disbelief.

After you said your goodbyes, you and Dotty were heading back to the sandy terrain. On your way to the exit, you saw the store with the toy display again. You walked up to the front, but it was closed. You then went to the window to look at the adorable figures. The beige kitty looked just as cute as you remembered.

You continued to admire the creatures until you saw the black and white animal with a stern glare. Your eyes were drawn to the honey badger, and they stayed there. You hummed and checked the store's time. 

_I’ll come in the morning. Really quick. Buy it and get out. It should be fine..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I make a Spongebob reference with the title? Yes.   
Do I regret it? No.  
Who's next~


	13. Oxymoron; Honorable Thief

You felt recharged. Or rather, you had a little more energy than before. The desert helped recharge you after being in the town for hours. You didn’t want to be in Florette again, but your mission was to get the honey badger and leave. 

“Mrrr…” Dotty brushed her face against your cheek as you strode to Florette. She was concerned about being back so soon. You were in the town with Luffy and Usopp before, but now you were there in the early morning. Your bedtime was close, and the two of you were nowhere near your home. 

It was the double edged sword of being tired and being mentally drained. 

_It’s okay. I’ll just be here for when the store opens. I’ll buy what I need and then leave._ You reached up to pet the wildcat who kept chirping at you. 

Grandline International Store was within view, so you picked up your pace as you approached. At the same time, you and a beautiful woman with blonde hair reached for the door handle. She retracted her hand, so you were able to open the door to allow her in first. 

She stared at you. Her eyes flickered from you to Dotty and then back to you. There was a moment of realization behind her eyes. 

“Hm?” You and Dotty tilted your heads at the same time.

“A-Ah, it’s nothing. I was just admiring the kitten sitting on your shoulders. So cute~” The woman cooed at Dotty. You smiled and nodded. 

You gestured to the open door letting her know she could head on in. The woman giggled and thanked you as she entered. You followed behind her and went straight for the Clockwork Fauna display. The honey badger was within your grip in seconds. Your giggle had the woman look back at you, and your gleeful smile made her stifle a grin. 

You looked like a kid with candy.

“Well, look at what the wildcat dragged in.”

The cheerful energy you had before all but disappeared. The young woman who entered the store with you felt the mood change the second you recognized the voice. Your stiff posture and your downcast eyes made her side eye the man who approached you. 

“Get it? Because of that cat you--” He trailed off and clicked his tongue. “Ahh, you’ve got no humor, (Y/n). You should lighten up, ya know?”

_It’s a displeasure to see you again, Bradley…_

Bourque Bradley was a tall and lanky thirty year old man with pale skin and a mop of brown hair. He worked as a salesclerk at Grandline International Store. He was somebody you always hoped to avoid when you needed to buy from the store. Silvia hated talking to him, and Sophia referred to him as a ‘nuisance’. 

The doctor claimed she was being generous by only calling him that. She had a list.

Your first memory of Bradley involved his unsubtle jabs at Gabriel. When they were buying themselves anything hinting at femininity, Bradley always had some comment to add. You wondered why he hadn’t been fired for how he talked to people. His “advice” tended to be his thinly veiled criticism of people.

You found out he was the heir to the store, so any complaints about his behavior were shut down. His criticisms were tolerated because he tended to harass folks that felt like they weren’t allowed to speak out. People that would be told “Oh he doesn’t mean it” and “He’s joking, guys are like that.”

His favorite targets were those he knew the town folks wouldn’t want to bother with.

A.K.A, he liked to bother you. 

“You're still doing that whole ‘vow of silence’ thing, huh?” 

The closer he walked to you, the more you moved away from him. He smirked. He enjoyed feeling as if he were a strong man for being so intimidating. You scoffed under your breath and rolled your eyes. You were moving away because you felt Dotty positioning herself to jump at him. She really wanted to dig her claws into his punchable face. 

//Take it easy// You made the motion with your hands so the wildcat could relax. She huffed and puffed some more until Bradley was walking away from you. 

On his way to the front desk, the young woman from before strode with purpose into his path, and they bumped into each other. Bradley caught the woman in his arms, and she placed her hands on his chest. An adorable “oof!” left her lips and she looked up at the salesclerk. 

“Oh~ I’m so sorry. I should watch where I’m going,” the blonde tucked some stray hairs behind her ear and she smiled. “I saw something that caught my eye and I had to see it~”

“Haha, it’s no problem mademoiselle,” Bradley smoothed his hair as he cleared his throat. “You’re a customer, it’s my job to make sure you get whatever you need. If you need anything at all, and I mean anything, I’m here for you.”

The woman giggled which made Bradley blush and laugh. He was trying to pretend he was cool and collected, but it was obvious that the woman had flustered him. You couldn’t blame him. The stranger was charming. A simple flick of her hair, and she had him stunned into silence. What an incredible skill she had. 

You looked down at the honey badger doll in your hands and nodded determined. Maybe his good mood would make him ring up your order and you could leave. 

You had the toy, your money, and your notebook ready when you approached the cash register. Bradley was making goo-goo eyes at the blonde woman, so you had to clear your throat in order to get him to do his job. He had the audacity to roll his eyes at you when he finally stopped looking at her. 

“What can I help you with today?” His tone was chipper but empty. There was a short silence as he kept looking behind you while you placed the toy down. When the blonde woman wasn’t in sight anymore, he looked at the honey badger and smirked. 

“Yeah? What do you want me to do with it?”

//I would like to buy this. That is all//

“Ehhh? What an interesting toy…” 

You frowned and waved the paper so he would look at it, but the man kept looking elsewhere instead of your note. 

“Want me to tell you how much it costs~? The price is over there by the display.” He pointed while he pulled out a book from under the register. He flipped to a random page.

//I know what it costs, I would like to buy it// 

“Sorry, monsieur, I’m having trouble understanding you. You’re going to have to explain yourself.” He wasn’t bothering to look up despite how many times you waved the paper where you kept adding sentences. 

//Please! I’m buying this for a friend. I have the beris to pay for this!// 

You cleared your throat with an extra ‘umph’, hoping the noise would force him to stop ignoring you. It made him jolt, but he turned his glare on you instead. You held up your paper, forcing him to read it. He grabbed it, crumbled it, and threw it behind you. 

“If you’re going to be a disturbance in this store, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. The Marines will be called if you continue to show such aggressive behavior.” The salesclerk smirked while you stared him down. “That is, unless you tell me what you’re doing here.”

_All of this bullshit just because you’re trying to get me to talk?!_

“Well?”

“...”

“Huh, loitering here then?” 

He snatched the toy from the counter. You gasped and reached for it while he placed it on the shelf behind him. You dropped your arms while Dotty hissed. So much for the good mood making him reasonable. He was still trying to force you to talk. 

You had hoped he would avoid making himself look like an ass since there was a pretty lady in the store. That theory was bust. 

“If you’re not here to buy, then, Bye Bye~” He did the exaggerated waving before he went back to pretend reading. His glances at you let you know he was expecting some kind of reaction. 

“...”

You kept your expression as neutral as possible, which made Bradley’s smug smile falter. You bowed and turned to leave. You ignored his questions which were mostly taunts to get you to stay. Taunts to get some kind of reaction from you.

You were out the door within seconds.

Bradley huffed and crossed his arms. He was grumbling under his breath, unaware the stranger from before had snuck up to the counter. She waited for him to notice her. An amused smile spread across her face. The salesclerk gasped and started to sweat when he saw how close the woman was. 

“Oh? What’s that cute little thing?” She pointed to the toy you had wanted to buy.

“A-Ah? Ahaha, you mean this thing?” Bradley snatched the toy off the counter. “As you can see, this, um, skunk?” He gave the honey badger in his hand a quizzical look. He hoped the lovely woman wouldn’t notice his ignorance. “This tailless skunk is a fierce little thing...”

“How interesting~” The woman leaned over the counter, her head propped up by her hands. “I was in the back distracted by something, but then I saw the window display with one animal missing. Would it happen to be that cutie in your hands?”

“Yes...yes, of course!” Bradley chuckled and sighed a breath of relief. Good. She hadn’t seen or heard the earlier exchange. 

“How much?”

“What?”

“The _tailless skunk_. How much~?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A scowl was on full display, and Dotty was just as upset as you. You were thankful you were able to keep yourself calm while at the store, but now you were heated. You were sure you weren’t being unreasonable. You wanted to buy something for Luffy, Bradley was being rude, you left. You were in the right. 

_Right?_

You stopped in your tracks to take in a deep breath. 

_Ahhhhhhhhh, what the fuuuuuuck!!!_ You covered your face with your hands, restraining the urge to yell. There were some people beginning to leave their houses for the day, so you didn’t want any attention to yourself.

When you looked up, you saw an empty bench ahead. It was in the walkway on the side of a cream colored building. The overhang had magenta flowers which provided shade from the peaking sun. You sighed and walked to it so you could plop yourself down. Once you were seated, Dotty climbed down to your lap so you could pet her. 

The righteous anger was gone, and it was replaced with a creeping sadness. 

You wanted to go home, but you were upset at leaving empty handed. Out of all the sales clerks working that day, it had to be him. His schedule was impossible to pinpoint, so you couldn’t even plan the days to avoid him. He did what he wanted, and he said what he wanted. What an easy time it must be for him. 

_Dammit, I really wanted to give Luffy that badger._ You leaned back and stared at the flowers overhead. Their scent floated down as you looked up at them. _Maybe it’ll still be there another day? I can see the cat and fox being bought immediately, so maybe the honey badger will still be there anoth--_

“Oooi, (Y/n)-san, right??” 

You lifted your head up at your name. The woman who entered the store at the same time as you was waving as she approached you. There was a paper shopping bag in her right hand which she held up to you. Curious, you reached over to accept her offer. 

She took a seat beside you while you opened the gift. Dotty lifted her head and meowed to the woman as a greeting, and she in return greeted her back. You gasped when you recognized the black and white pattern. 

“I saw the note you wrote,” the woman took the crumbled paper out of her pocket. Your eyes widen, and you put the toy back in the bag. “Am I safe to assume the friend you’re getting this for is Luffy? Also, that guy was giving you waaaay too much trouble for it.”

You nodded and reached for your notebook in order to write. After a few seconds, you turned to the blonde with your words.

//I’m so sorry for the trouble! Thank you so much for getting the toy! I will pay for you back right now. I’m really happy I can give this to Luffy. May I know your name? Luffy didn’t really describe what his crew looked like, but he said two women were part of the Strawhats: Nami and Robin// 

“That idiot captain,” the woman massaged the bridge of her nose. “First things first, introductions--Hey, hey. No, no~” The woman held up her hand to stop you from giving her the money.

At your guilty and confused expression, she smiled and reached into her bra. The pirate held a leather wallet between her index and middle finger. The initials B.B were stamped on it. You crooked your head at it while she smiled and stuck her tongue out. The cogs in your head started to turn. 

“I didn’t lose a single beri in that store, so don’t you worry~”

Your hand went up to your mouth to stifle a gasp. Dotty sniffed the air and huffed when she picked up the familiar scent from the wallet.

“I’m Nami, the navigator. It’s a pleasure to meet you (Y/n). I can finally put a face to the name since Luffy keeps talking about you.” She placed the wallet back into her bra. “By the way…” Nami reached up to her forehead. She moved the wig a little in order to show you her natural hair color. It reminded you of tangerines. “I’m not a natural blonde. Silvia-san was kind enough to give us disguises.”

“Ah,” you smiled remembering how the crew were pretending to be merchants, but Luffy still needed to work on remembering his story. 

“Well, that was a fun time~” Nami stood up and stretched. “I’m going to do some shopping with this money. Wanna come? My treat.”

//Thank you for the offer, but I need to head home and sleep. It’s past my and Dotty’s bedtime.//

“Ehhh? Oh! That’s right, you two are up at night. No way...you.” Nami ran a hand down her face. “You’re sacrificing sleep to get Luffy this, erm, what is it anyways? That guy called it a tailless skunk, but I _know_ that’s wrong.”

//It’s a honey badger! Super cool and cute, right? There are some in the desert! Luffy really liked it, so I wanted to get it before it’s gone. I didn’t want to risk there not being any in stock tomorrow.//

“Oh man, the trouble you just put yourself through.” Nami placed a hand on her hip, closed her eyes, and sighed. She opened one eye to look at you, but she was smiling. There wasn’t a hint of disappointment towards you at all. “I like you, you’re adorable.”

“E-Eh?”

“Luffy can be an idiot, but he means well. Also, you’re his friend now, so that’s a title you won’t be able to escape.” The navigator shrugged while you could only hum confused. “Please keep an eye on him, I know he’s going to cause trouble eventually. Until then, I hope we can get to know each other better, (Y/n).”

//I hope the same, Nami-san. It’s a pleasure to meet you.//

“It’s great meeting you too. Now then.” Nami pointed towards the direction of the desert. “Get your asses home and go to sleep. What do you think you’re doing up so late--erm, early??”

//Okay! I’m sorry! Thank you again!//

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Wooooah! It’s the honey badger!” 

Luffy smiled as he held up the determined looking toy. The needle felted animal was turned in every direction as Luffy admired its look. The sharp eyes, the tiny teeth, those adorable paws, and the cool hooded cape were all oohed and ahhed at by the pirate. The rustic look gave it the appearance of having come out of a novel, and Luffy loved the theme that carried. 

“Looks like an assassin~”

“Uh-huh…”

“The goggles are neat. I bet it can sand sled, shishi~”

“Hm…”

“Ara? (Y/n)?” 

Luffy looked over at you and saw how your head was starting to droop. Your eyes were blinking at a slow pace, and you were starting to lean to the side. You were propped up against the tree, so you had it as support when you gave in to sleepiness. You yawned and snuggled into the base of the tree. Dotty was above you already asleep on one of the many branches. Her legs were hanging down and her face flat against the branch holding her.

“Haah? (Y/n)? Why are you sleepy?”

“Gimme...gimme like five minsss....” You yawned. “Ten. Make it ten…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if I made it clear, but Bradley is the salesclerk that made Reader uncomfortable when they were buying Gabriel lipstick (back in the prologue).


	14. Treasure Hunting

You weren’t ready to return to Florette anytime soon. Even though Luffy assured you he’d be there beside you the whole time, you wanted some time before you went back. According to Luffy, you had to go back because the sniper and navigator had asked about how you were doing. It seemed that Nami and Usopp were looking forward to seeing you again. 

“Nami said something about having extra money, so why not having an outing or something.” Luffy crossed his arms and hummed. “By the way, are we close?”

“Just a little more.”

The walk through the dry, crunchy grass had been your idea. The semiarid desert wasn’t only sand, and you wanted to show Luffy a spot you enjoyed. Dotty was leading the way as you and Luffy were careful not to get pricked by some of the sharper sticks and rocks on the floor. The incline was getting closer, and you could see the sea of basil-greens and vivid yellows against the light grey mountainside.

“When I asked her about it, she said it had to do with a tailless skunk...”

“Pfffft,” your hand went up to cover your mouth. The laugh was not well contained, but Luffy was too distracted by Nami’s cryptic words. 

“Did a skunk owe her money? Did it sell its tail to pay her back?” Luffy looked at you while you looked away. “What does it mean, (Y/n)??”

“It’s, um, a funny story?”

“Oh? Then tell me.”

“Hmm…” You hopped onto a flat rock, passing Luffy. You looked at him over your shoulder and smiled. “Nah~”

“Huh?! Why not??”

“It’s kinda fun having this be a secret between Nami-san and I.” 

You smiled and rushed ahead, leaving Luffy open-mouthed. He chased after you within seconds. No matter how much he pleaded, you kept quiet because knowing what Nami’s vague words meant made it fun for you. You would keep your lips tight for as long as you could. 

“Haaa~ You two are so mean,” Luffy pouted. “I wanna meet this tailless skunk…”

“In a way, you have,” you whispered and were happy Luffy didn’t hear you. “Ah, we’re here.” Luffy stood beside as you made a sweeping gesture to the sight before the two of you. 

There were cacti of various sizes accompanied by bushels of thick, mint-green bushes. Tiny yellow flowers covered the floor where the cacti were. The cluster of flowers looked like a fluffy carpet and smelled even better. There were some jagged rocks among the prickly plants, but they were large enough to sit on. 

“This is the Cacti Forest. If you think the flowers look soft enough to rest on, you’d be right.”

“Really?? Yosh! I wanna try it!” 

Luffy was headed to the plants before you got a chance to say another word. You ran after the pirate who was headed to where Dotty was. Said wildcat was bellyside up as she snuggled into the sunny flora. Her paws reached for the skies as she made herself comfortable. Luffy was beside her not long after. 

“Haa~ This feels so nice~” 

“Miaow~”

“I know, right~”

Luffy had flopped down face first into the plants when he took his place beside Dotty. You wouldn’t recommend that method to feel the soft flowers, but Luffy was already making himself at home in the sea of golden flowers. You took a seat beside the pirate while he twisted himself around so he could look up at the sky.

“Lay down with us, (Y/n). You’ll be more comfortable.”

“In a bit,” You looked around the surrounding area, checking for any movement in the distance. “I know the chances are low, but I want to make sure nothing interrupts you and Dotty’s rest.” It was bright at the moment, so predators were not out hunting. Still, you wanted to be sure.

“You’re worried about us?”

“Of course I am.”

“You don’t have to be. I’m strong.” Luffy pat his forearm to exemplify his point. “And I bet Dotty can take down animals twice her size. Even three times her size.”

“Mroooow.”

“What? Even bigger? You’re strong, huh?”

Dotty huffed at the idea of her not being powerful. It was ridiculous. Luffy looked over at you, but you were scanning the surroundings again. The pirate frowned and grabbed the back of your shirt. You jolted in surprise, and you turned to Luffy with a questioning hum.

“Lay down,” there was a tug on your shirt. “You should get to relax with us--and don’t say later!” Luffy added the last sentence in a rush when he noticed you were about to protest. 

“I--Well it’s just--You can let go now.”

“Nu-uh~” Luffy tugged again, and you couldn’t hide your amused grin. “Relax. I want all of us to have fun.”

You relented by sighing and snuggling into the yellow flowers. Luffy smiled at you while you made yourself comfortable. You stared up at the sky noticing how its hues were beginning to shift into a darker blue. Soon, the sun would crawl to the west taking its warmth and brightness. Until then, the three of you could bask in a warm sunbath.

The calm atmosphere was broken after five minutes, however. 

“Baaaaahhh!”

“I know you’re all upset, but I have to look here too.”

“Meeeeh!” 

“Cesar, please. Be reasonable with me.”

You sat up when you recognized the familiar voice. You turned around to see Antonio’s herd along with a distressed Antonio. The scruffy bearded shepherd was shifting through the grass as his sheep made themselves comfortable in the flowers. Whatever it was he was looking for, it must be important. He hadn’t noticed your, Luffy’s, or Dotty’s presence.

“Oh no, oh nooo, Silvia is going to kill me!”

Luffy sat up to watch the scene with you, and Dotty lifted herself up so she was by you. The three of you watched the older man scratch the side of his head and tug on his beard. When he saw you three, he only nodded and greeted you in a haphazard fashion. His mind was too focused on the area around him. 

“Ah! It’s the old man with a beard and strawhat.”

“That’s Signore Antonio, Silvia’s uncle.”

“...Hm? Silvia has an uncle?”

“...” You pinched the bridge of your nose. “Well...I guess you haven’t been properly introduced.” You gestured to the man who waved to the two of you in a rush. “Luffy, that’s Signore Antonio. He’s Silvia’s uncle. I sometimes watch over his herd, remember?”

“Hey, it’s that violent goat from before!” Luffy pointed at Cesar who was beside the shepherd. Cesar lifted his head and scoffed at the pirate. “What? Wanna fight?”

“Meeeehhh…”

“Luffy, please don’t antagonize the goat. No, wait, I meant the sheep. Dammit, you’re getting me confused now.”

“Meeeh!” 

“I’ll kick your ass if you want--” Luffy lifted his arms up in a mock boxer pose.

“Luffy, you’re arguing with--” You close your eyes and shake your head defeated. “You know what? Nevermind. I don’t think you care…”

“(Y/n)! You’re the perfect person to help me!” 

Antonio strode over to your spot as fast as he could. Sensing his unease, you stood up to greet the shepherd. Dotty had climbed up your back to sit on your shoulders, and Luffy was still sitting on the ground. He had no intention of moving. Once the older man was close to you, he caught his breath and clasped his hands together in a begging manner. 

“(Y/n), please. I need your help. Please use Dotty’s nose to find Silvia’s radio.”

“Silvia’s radio...The portable radio she never takes out of her room?” At Antonio’s nod, you put your hands together in a prayer. Dotty closed her eyes and bowed her head. “You will be missed.”

“D-Don’t joke now! Please, I’m _begging_ you. I was very careful with it. I made _sure_ to keep it in my bag. After taking a short nap, I continued my walk, but when I stopped to eat a snack I saw that my food and the radio were gone! Mia nipote only now lets me borrow it, and I don’t know where it is!”

“Somebody stole something important, huh?” Luffy stood up and brushed off the excess pollen clinging to his clothes. “That radio, is it her treasure?” 

“Yeah, it is,” you tilted your head in contemplation. “Well, Silvia isn’t even a big music person, but it’s a treasure because Doctor Sophia gave it to her.”

“That’s true, that’s true,” Antonio nodded and crossed his arms. “It was a birthday gift. Silvia said in passing she liked a song she heard on the radio, so the doctor bought her a radio. Mark my words; as far as you know, Silvia is a music fanatic, so don’t say otherwise!”

“It might seem like a joke, but he’s one hundred percent serious.” Your mouth went into a straight line as you added, “Silvia was ready to smack a customer once because he made a comment that implied Silvia’s music ignorance.”

“He was right though.”

“That may be true, but don’t say it around her or the doctor. Silvia would be mortified, especially if her own uncle says it.”

“Right right, I must make sure the good doctor doesn’t know. Now! Back to the matter at hand, (Y/n),” Antonio’s intense focus on you made you shift a little away from him. It wasn’t out of fear or anything, but Antonio was so determinded that it was a little intimidating. 

“Y-Yeah?”

“I need you to help me find this radio. I can’t go back to the cafe empty handed. I’ll never be forgiven for losing this gift.”

“That is true,” you muttered. “But I don’t think she’ll be mad at you since it was stolen, not lost.” You glanced at Luffy before you nodded in his direction. “I promised him a tour, but we can continue it tomorrow. Right now, I’ll get Dotty to find the culprit. Is that okay, Luffy?”

“That’s fine. Let’s go searching for this thing. A new treasure hunt~”

“You don’t mind searching with me?”

“Not at all, it’ll be fun.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!”

Antonio would search through areas he had been at in case it had fallen instead of being taken. You placed Dotty inside Antonio’s bag so she could pick up a scent to follow. After a few seconds, she hopped out and took off after a smell that wasn’t familiar. Maybe somebody had reached into the shepherd’s bag, but they may have only taken the food. You would have to wait and see. 

You and Luffy waved goodbye to the shepherd as you chased after the speedy wildcat.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Um, hey, I have a question…”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you don’t mind looking for this radio with me?” You looked up noting the darker blue sky. “I feel like you’ve been sent on a bunch of hunts. Is that okay?”

“Hmm, I _have_ gone on a bunch of treasure hunts while on this island.”

You and Luffy were walking a few feet behind Dotty while she was hyper focused on the scent trail. The night was drawing closer, but you had yet to come across a hint for where the radio was. You were becoming worried about not finding Silvia’s radio soon. Luffy was going along with you, but you assumed it was a sense of obligation. 

Was he being polite to go along with your search?

“I’m a pirate, of course I like treasure hunts.” Luffy smiled while you looked at him perplexed. “I like finding the treasure, and I like the adventure along the way.”

“What do you mean?” You huffed amused. “You haven’t even kept the treasures you’ve searched for. For example, the mystery plant for Doctor Sophia and now Silvia’s radio. You’re getting things for others.” You recalled the search for the Phantom Orchid as another example. 

“Ah yeaaah. Well, why are you on this treasure hunt?”

“I want to help my friend.” You shrugged nonchalantly because it was the most obvious answer in the world. “I don’t want Silvia to be sad.”

“I guess that’s the same with me.” Luffy grinned when he saw your small, grateful smile. “I wouldn’t want to lose my treasures, so I don't want her to lose hers. I always have my hat with me, but I’d be sad if my other treasures were gone. I don't want anything to happen to Sunny or Baddy.”

“Baddy?” 

“Yeah, Baddy.”

You stracted the side of your head trying to recall who--or rather what--was Baddy. Sunny was the name of the Strawhat’s ship, you remembered that much. According to Luffy, it had a lion head as the front figure. You imagined the lion’s mane gave it the illusion of flames off the sun, so that explained the ship’s name. As for the name Baddy...the name didn’t ring any bells. 

“I’m sorry, Luffy, but who’s Baddy?”

“That’s the name of the honey badger you got me!”

“Baddy?”

“Yeah, Baddy.”

“Baddy...W-What? Why Baddy?”

“Because he’s a badger.” Luffy’s wide smile wasn’t a sufficient enough answer for you. “Oh! And because he looks like a badass.”

“I see. Baddy,” You curled your lips in to hide your smile, but it broke through anyway. Bad-ger. Bad-ass. You understood his logic now. It was cute. “Baddy the Badass Honey Badger. What a title.” 

“He’s the coolest, right?”

“I can’t argue with that.”

“Yup!” Luffy laughed while you chuckled under your breath. “Ah, but treasure hunts are about the adventure too. You don’t know what’s going to happen, and that’s what makes it so much fun~”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh. Being on this island reminds me about the adventure that comes along with treasure hunting. First! We were searching for a town.” Luffy lifted a finger to count. “And that’s how I met you.”

“A surprise for sure.”

“Then, I looked for the mystery plant with Chopper. I got to see you again because of that.” Luffy lifted another finger, his smile on full display as he recalled the day. “Let’s see~ What else was there?”

“There was looking for the Phantom Orchid,” you added. “Do you want to count that?”

“Oh yeah~ Thank you,” he lifted another finger. 

“What was the adventure for that one?”

“I got to go through the town with you. It was a lotta fun!” 

“A-Ah, I see,” you felt a blush creep on your face. You shook your head to keep it down. 

“Getting Usopp that flower made him really happy too, so that made me happy. Ah! I was also searching for my nakama, so that was a treasure hunt too.” Luffy gasped. “It was a treasure hunt inside a treasure hunt!”

“Pfft, haha--” Your hand went up to your mouth as you tried to stifle your laughter. “You’re right, It was--”

You stopped in your tracks when you heard Dotty hiss at something in the distance. You placed an arm out in front of Luffy to stop him from moving forward. He asked what was the matter, but you were busy squinting your eyes to focus on the distance. Up ahead by a couple of meters, there was a rapid shifting in the sand heading straight to the three of you. 

“Is that? Oh no...”

A navy blue fin was jutting out of the sand, cutting the terrain. It was a meter tall and moving fast. It was moving so fast that you wondered if you’d have time to move Dotty and Luffy to safety. You reached into your pocket to retrieve your metal staff. 

“I’m sorry, Luffy--” You clicked the staff to activate it and tossed it upwards. You caught it mid-air. Dotty positioned herself on the defensive. Her fur was fluffed in aggression, and her fangs were on full display. “--but we might hit a bit of a detor.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I won't be able to update as often as I have been. I'm pretty proud I was updating almost once a week, but work is demanding more of my attention (๑•﹏•) I want to focus on this story, so I want to take my time to write chapters that I don't feel are rushed. I hope this story has been fun to read so far. Please stay happy and healthy everybody ₍₍ (ง ˙ω˙)ว ⁾⁾


	15. Let's Get Ready to Rumble

The blue fin began to surface, slicing the sand in its path. As the creature rose, you finally saw more of what was headed your way. The animal’s sharp eyes honed in on your group. It got a good look at you and Luffy, so it knew who the potential enemies were. 

Desert Dracons are bipedal desert animals. They have horn-like appendages on the sides of their heads that give them an appearance similar to a hammerhead shark. They are primarily dark blue in color, but they have a contrasting ruby red patch running from their jowls to the middle of the abdomen. Below the red of this dracon’s belly, there was a patch of black coming to a point indicating they were female. 

“Luffy, we’ll need to split up for a second.” 

“So cooool~! What is that??”

“Desert Dracon. Very Territorial. Don’t engage. Let’s go!” Before Luffy could ask any questions, you sprinted forward to scoop Dotty into your arms. You set her on your shoulders and ran to the left. “Luffy, head to right! Give her as much space as possible!”

“Haha~ Okay!”

You and Luffy took off in opposite directions. You had no plans to engage the creature, but you had your staff ready just as a precaution. If everything went well, the dracon would pass by, you and Luffy would meet up after the danger had passed, and you would continue your treasure hunt.

There was one problem with your plan...

Luffy was not far enough away from the creature, and it veered its direction towards him.

“Oh shit! Luffy! Dodge!!!”

The dracon’s jaw opened wide showing off her numerous serrated teeth. Luffy tumbled forward to avoid the dracon launching herself at him. He stood up and continued to run while looking behind. He had been a hair strand away from getting bitten. 

“Oh thank g--Luffy!”

“Gomu gomu noooo,” Luffy threw his arm back, a glare on his face. He didn’t hear your plea to stop his attack. His fist made contact with the animal’s face. “Pistol!”

“Oh no, no, no!” Your hands went up to the sides of your head as you stopped running and watched in horror. Engaging in a battle with a dracon was something you wanted to avoid at all costs. You understood why Luffy had retaliated, but the dracon was unimpressed by Luffy’s punch. 

She didn’t so much as flinch. 

“Eh?? That’s a hard head!” Luffy’s arm retracted to his side. The dracon huffed and proceeded to turn her body towards him, a fire in her eyes. “What’s your deal sharky?! Why’d you try to bite me?”

The creature’s throat rumbled, and she opened her jaws again. She threw herself at Luffy again, but he was prepared this time. He dodged and extended his arms in order to attack again. 

“Gomu gomu no Gatling Gun!!” 

All of Luffy’s hits landed.

None of them made her move.

Angered by Luffy, the dracon turned to him and let out an ear splitting roar with all her might. It was so loud you felt the air shake with the intensity despite being so far from them. Luffy covered his ears while the dracon began to inch her way towards him. You covered your ears and tried to think of a plan. You needed to stop her from getting closer to him. 

Dotty tensed. Her ears folded down so she could muffle some of the noise. This helped her not be dazed by the screech, and an idea appeared. 

Dotty was as quick as the rabbits of Zermatt island. She could be the one to stop the dracon’s movements. She could hit the dracon before it reached Luffy. You signaled with your hands, and Dotty knew to run towards the beast. 

//Go!//

You ran towards Luffy who was still stunned from the ear splitting screech. Before you reached him, Dotty slammed herself into the dracon. The creature snarled in pain and confusion. With the screech gone, Luffy was able to move again. He was shaking his head trying to clear the ringing in his ears. 

Caught off guard by the commotion, you missed your opportunity to warn Luffy to run away. He was back in battle mode.

“Gear: Second.” 

Luffy’s tone was eerily calm. You didn’t know what Luffy was doing, but you did see him place his hands on his knees. He was crouched as he stared the dracon down. Below his knees, his skin expanded and contracted. It reminded you of a pump. Whatever it was he was planning, you knew it was going to be bad. 

“No! Wait!” 

The dracon avoided Dotty’s oncoming attack and rushed at Luffy. This shocked him. He didn’t have time to move before the creature spun around so her thick tail slammed into his torso. Luffy was sent sailing across the sands. A reddish tint started to creep across his skin. 

You changed direction, running towards the agitated dracon. 

As you advanced, you spun the staff from side to side. You hit the ground and toss sand in her direction as a means to distract her. The defensive creature didn't know which side your first attack would come from or what side of the staff the blow would be dealt from. 

The erratic movement stalled her as if she was in a trance, and it was only broken by the quick blow dealt to her dark part of her underbelly. 

You had been taught by Gabriel on how to channel your Ki into the staff. It was a technique where the staff itself was an extension of your body. It wasn’t a weapon, it was like an extra limb. With Gabriel’s training and knowledge, you were able to channel the mysterious force called ‘Ki’. Once you were able to control it, you were taught how to use it.

You had gathered your Ki and channeled it into the end of the staff. 

“Golpe de equinoccio!” 

The beast fell a few feet backwards from your hit. After a short pause, she started to stand back up. When she did, she flew back a few feet as if you had hit her again. The dracon let out confusion chirps and lifted herself up once more as Dotty made her way towards you. 

A mighty roar filled the air. It was an intimidation tactic since she wouldn’t be able to screech again for a few hours. The showdown continued between the dracon and you. Dotty hissed and the fur raised across her spine, but you did not raise your staff. You tilted your head as you looked at the creature’s stomach. It looked heavy.

If she had already eaten, why was she aggressive? Usually dracons were less aggressive after eating. 

“Why are you mad if you ate--woah!” 

You rolled to the side to avoid the attempted bite. From the distance, Luffy’s red tinted fist flew by and hit the creature’s jaw. You watched as Luffy’s arm returned to his body, and the pirate was running towards the brawl. 

“I’m gonna kick your ass!”

As Luffy advanced, you saw a layer of mist seep off his body. Dotty tried her best to distract the dracon by running around her, aiming for her legs and eyes. Her claws were able to pierce the thick hide which gave you a few seconds before the dracon went back to attacking you.

When Luffy reached your side, you both positioned yourselves ready to fight. You glanced at Luffy and whispered some advice.

“Dracon’s heads aren’t their weak point. Eyes and torso are your best bet.” 

The fight being three versus one put the dracon on the defensive. Luffy’s hits were getting harder, Dotty’s claws could pierce the skin, and your attacks were 2-in-1. Out of habit, Luffy aimed for the jaw which was not as hard as the head. You, on the other hand, were aiming for the dark spot. However, something still felt off. 

With Luffy’s attacks becoming deadlier, you were apprehensive to direct his aim to the dark spot. He might kill her. You wanted to stop aiming for that weakness yourself. It being swollen was bothering you and made you uneasy.

…  
…  
...

You remembered why you had been worried about dropping your guard around the Cacti Forest.

“Luffy! Use your Gatling Gun to make her curl up!” You took several steps back in order to give you and the dracon some distance. “I’m going to push her back.”

“Got it!” 

You signaled for Dotty to come to your side. Once she was where you needed her to be, Luffy started punching the creature as much as he could. As you expected, she curled up so her underside was safe. In that defensive position, she could be safe from even a cannon ball. It was exactly what you needed. 

“Ready, Dotty?” At her meow, you placed the end of the staff by the wildcat’s feet. She positioned herself ready to launch. “Luffy, roll to your right!” The pirate stopped attacking and moved away. “La cometa!”

You swung the staff almost like a baseball bat, and Dotty shot towards the creature. With the Ki concentrated in her, Dotty hit like a cannonball. The dracon flew back while still curled up. Luffy cheered, but it was short lived as you ran up to him to grab his hand. 

“Let’s go!” You looked to the side and saw the wildcat running towards you two. “Dotty!” 

“Mrow!” 

You pulled Luffy along all the while ignoring his protests. You ran and missed how hot Luffy’s skin felt to the touch. Dotty stayed close to the two of you while you continued to add some distance from the dracon. You glanced back to see the dracon stand up after getting over the shock.

“Oi, why did we leave, (Y/n)?” Luffy wasn’t steaming anymore and the red tint on his skin was fading. “We were winning, weren’t we?”

“Yes, but--” You stopped so you and Luffy could look back. “I didn’t want to put more stress on her.”

“What do you mean? She attacked me first!” 

“I know, I know. You have every reason to be mad.” You took a deep breath and then let it out. The beast was lumbering away, no longer bloodthirsty. “It’s just...I don’t think she attacked you with any malintent. She was violent because she was scared.”

“Why was she scared? I didn’t do anything.” 

“You didn’t, but to a pregnant dracon anybody could be a threat.”

“Pregnant?”

“Uh-huh,” You nodded and let go of Luffy’s hand. You didn’t mean to hold it for so long. “I thought the swollen belly meant she ate, but then she wouldn’t have been so aggressive if she was full. Then I remembered: it was mating season recently for the Desert Dracons.”

“Ooooh, so she was fighting because she thought we wanted to hurt her babies.” Luffy hummed. “Her soon-to-be babies.”

“Yeah. I’m sorry you got pulled into this. I should’ve known to avoid these parts.” You looked down as you collapsed the staff. “I’m so--”

“You were awesome!!” 

“H-Huh?”

Luffy’s eyes were shining as he looked at you. You took half a step back while your mouth hung open. You were at a loss for words. What could you say at his unbridled admiration? Dotty made her way up your shoulder and yawned when she was comfortable. She had nothing to worry about.

“You’re strong and so cool~”

“I--You--Really? You’re the cool one! What was that?? You had, like, smoke coming off your skin!”

“You and Dotty kicked ass!”

“You got faster and hit harder! The dracon _felt_ your punches!”

“Mrow?”

“You can shoot yourself like a bullet! That’s so cool, Dotty!”

“Mrow~”

“I can’t believe I went up against a pregnant Desert Dracon.” You ran a hand down your face. “I’ve dealt with aggressive males, but the females are something else. Oh god I hope she’s okay. Her belly was hard but still...”

“That sharky reminds me of somebody I fought before I came to the Grandline,” Luffy nodded as he recalled the moment. “He made my nakama cry, so I kicked his ass. He had a weird nose.”

“The dracon reminded you of someone?”

“Yup, ‘cause she’s all shark-like and strong. Oh! (Y/n), how’d you do that thing with your staff? You know--” Luffy imitated the way you hold your weapon and the thrusts you do. “--Like ‘POW’ and then it’s ‘WOOSH’ without you hitting??”

“Oh, haha, that?” Your hand went over your mouth, hiding your smile as Luffy continued to do his imitation of you. “I’ve learned how to control my Ki. It’s kind of hard to explain, but think of it as energy. I store energy into the staff, so when I hit my opponent the energy is transferred. It has a delay which causes the ‘Woosh’.”

“Oooh! Mystery powers!”

“I guess??”

The excitement was interrupted by a low growl. It wasn’t from a monster. It was from Luffy’s stomach. Then, another growl but it was smaller and closer to your ear. Dotty mewed and pawed at your face. You placed your hand over your stomach when you felt the pangs of hunger. 

Your stomach growled.

“It’s time to eat~” Luffy grinned as you nodded in agreement. 

“Let’s eat and then keep searching for Silvia’s radio.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Night had blanked the desert, and Dotty had found the source of the scent. You and Luffy could hear the faint sounds of music as you got closer to the thieves. Whoever it was that had stolen the radio was hidden on the other side of the small, sand dune incline. Luffy cracked his knuckles ready for another fight, and you put your hand in your pocket to feel for the staff. 

On the other side of the dune, a surprise awaited the two of you.

“Shishishi~ This is so funny!” 

“They’re all...animals…”

Antelopes with sharp horns. Sheep from different herds. Tiny mice. Desert owls with their baby chicks under their wings. A small pride of Sekhmets...

The animals were carefree and enjoying the music on the tiny radio while they added their own tunes. There were attempts at dancing, and their songs were added at random. It was a chaotic and noisy environment, but you were grinning alongside Luffy.

He was right, it was a funny scene. 

Dotty passed your feet to get closer to the party, and she meowed her own tune. She was going to have fun. 

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, don’t stray too far.”

The wildcat didn’t seem to hear you as she made her way into the crowd. The antelopes were bobbing their heads as they bleated a tune every so often while the sheep hopped and danced. The owls were singing alongside the Sekhmet pride who were purring content. The adorable mice were the ones closest to the tiny radio while they danced. 

You were worried Dotty would try to eat one of them, but she kept her distance. There was no point in hunting if her belly was full, so the prey felt at ease. 

“This looks like fun! (Y/n), let’s dance.”

“H-Huh? No, I, um,” You stammered while Luffy walked closer to the group. When he saw that you weren’t beside him, he looked back at you. “I-I can’t…”

“Why not?”

“It’s, well, it’s embarrassing?” 

“What’s there to be embarrassed about?” Luffy smiled and gestured to the animals. “There’s only us here, nobody is around to make you feel embarrassed.” He held his hand out to you. “Come on, it’ll be lots of fun!”

You looked down at the offered hand, then at him, and then at the hand again. You reached out to hold his hand while your face became warmer by the second. “Okay,” you breathed out. You took a deep breath in to steel your nerves. 

“You’re right. It’s just us.”

Luffy walked with you towards the crowd, never letting go of your hand. Your shoulders started to relax when Luffy faced you to hold your other hand. He moved them up and down in rhythm to the song, and he stepped side to side trying to match the song’s beat. It was a strange dance he was making up on the spot. His enthusiasm and laugh made you laugh. You tried following his impromptu dancing, and it was the funniest thing. 

_You really are something else, Luffy,_ You smiled as Luffy had you do a twirl. You returned the gesture to him, and he was smiling wholeheartedly. _Thank you, for making everything so much fun._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Oh how wonderful, Zermatt Island is in view!”

On a Marine ship’s deck stood a portly old man with a greying beard. His peachy skin was worn with age, but bright with life. His short, dark hair had previously been combed, but it was tousled and fluffed with the ocean’s breeze.

He did not care that his appearance was so unprofessional. His black suit and chocolate brown coat were the only things that made him look like a man of science.

Galopin Edmond was sent on an assignment by the government to learn about the land’s plantlife. He was a biologist, microbiologist, and chemist renowned for his contributions in microbial fermentation. He was the perfect candidate to send to document useful flora. 

He was excited to be traveling to Zermatt island. Monsieur Galopin was happy any time he got to travel to any new island. The new flora he could discover made his hands itch at the prospect of holding new specimens. Could the plants heal? Harm? Improve health? Impair growth? So many possibilities!

“Monsieur Galopin,” the ship’s commodore walked up behind the cheerful man. “I see you can barely contain yourself.” 

Galopin was lucky to have his back to the commodore. He didn’t know how the commodore was staring him down with disdain. The leader of the ship hated the fact that he was this man’s bodyguard for the duration of his stay. He couldn’t complain though. He had offered to be the protector while on Zermatt Island. Being a commodore wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

The commodore’s expression shifted the second Galopin turned around to smile at him. 

“Oh yes, I’m most ecstatic at visiting this island.” The scientist stracted at his short beard. “But I imagine you must be even happier, Commodore Gustav. You were the captain on this island.”

“Yes, I’m very happy.” Gustav smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “I’m looking forward to seeing my old base.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter wouldn't be possible without my bff's help. She was my proofreader because I can't write fight scenes (`▽`)ゞ


	16. History Lesson (1)

The town was, well, perfect.

All of the information Robin found in the library supported this statement. Florette was an oasis in Zermatt’s desert where little to no conflicts happened. The island didn’t have a ruler, so it was under the control of the World Government willingly. Florette specialized in flower trade, and the Marine Base kept the area safe. 

The town appeared perfect. 

For this reason, Robin didn’t trust it. 

There was not enough information about how Florette came to be. The town sold the image of it being a rustic little place a little too well. Robin had gone through most if not all of the books which made reference to the town. The information she had gotten was bland.

Robin was ready to leave the library, but something caught her attention. A single book on the shelf she had passed called to her somehow. She took a few steps back until she was face to face with the old book. 

Jardin de Fleurs

“What could you be about?” 

The pirate smiled and pulled the book from its snuggled spot. She returned to the comfortable chair where she had spent hours researching Florette. In thirty minutes, Robin had all of the information about Florette’s annual flower festival memorized. She wondered how the event went last year. It was an odd curiosity, but she was going to get to the bottom of it. 

“Excuse me, Madame?”

“What can I help you with, dearie?”

The old librarian was holding a glass of water near the potted flower on her desk. Robin noted the yellow plant’s fragrance. Fresh and sweet. As the librarian fed the parched flora, Robin asked her question. 

“What was Jardin de Fleurs like last y--”

The glass cup fell from the woman’s frozen hand. A deafening silence followed as water spilled onto the desk and the cup rolled until it crashed onto the floor. The old woman didn’t seem to register the shattered glass on the floor. This concerned and intrigued Robin. 

“T-The, erm, it’s, uh, how did you learn about that, dear? Oh, what a mess I’ve made~” The librarian shifted around her area until she found a cloth to clean up the spreading water. “It’s just one of the festivals this town has. I’m sure your town has festivals, right?”

“Towns have their own festivals, yes.” 

Robin watched the woman bend down to pick up the larger glass pieces. She knew if she walked away, the librarian wouldn’t notice. She was too focused on rambling the basic information about the Jardin de Fleurs that Robin already knew. 

“Do you need any help?”

Robin offered the woman a chance for her company. She suspected the elder would deny her since she would continue to ask about the festival. At the waving hand and soft no-no’s, Robin nodded even though the woman wasn’t looking at her. 

“Thank you for all your help, Madame Librarian.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin had done it. She had found a crack in the town’s perfect image. 

In order to test her theory, Robin went to different stores to window shop. She brought up the Jardin de Fleurs in casual conversation with shoppers and staff. Everybody who was a local of the town had a similar reaction.

They didn’t want to talk about it.

The only thing to do next was find somebody who would help her. Who could lead her to the pieces of the puzzle? A mystery had presented itself, and she was not going to let it slip past her fingers. 

“Aow! Welcome back, Nico Robin!” 

The blue haired shipwright was seated at one of the tables in La Petite Source. His signature blue hair was covered by an audacious cowboy hat, and the stars on his forearms were wrapped in bandages. The pseudo-wounds had been Robin’s idea since Franky thought the hat would be enough of a disguise. 

“Good evening, Franky,” the archaeologist tucked her brown hair behind her ear. She was getting used to the wig, and she found long hair to be something she didn’t mind. “Or rather, Franklin.”

“AH, I forgot.” The shipwright scratched his chin while Robin took a seat at his table. “How long do I have to keep being Franklin? Girlie said our captain had practically begged to stay on the island longer, so we gotta be SUPER secret.”

“Our captain recently made a new friend.” Robin smiled at the image of Nami yelling at Franky for the nickname. “He’s visiting them again today.”

“He said something about going to see a forest with this person or something? How is there a forest in the desert? Did he hear wrong?” The shipwright leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful hum breaking the cafe’s silence. “Ah, I’ve been curious, what’ve you been up to while on the island?”

“Research.”

“Haah~? What’ve you found so far?”

“Nothing spectacular as of now.”

The kitchen doors were pushed open by Silvia’s hip as she balanced a tray with cola and a tea kettle. As she approached the table, Robin wondered if she should try her luck. She needed something about the festival of flowers that weren’t the facts she already knew. Turning her full attention back on Franky, Robin continued her conversation. 

“There was something that caught my attention,” Robin allowed her sentence to linger until Silvia was close enough to their table. “Jardin de Fleurs…”

“J...Jardin de Fleurs?” Silvia stopped in her tracks, and Robin had to stop herself from smiling. The innkeeper had walked into her trap perfectly. “Where did you hear about the festival?”

“Ehhh? Is there something bad about it?” Franky asked Silvia and then thanked her when he handed him his cola. 

“Well, no--I mean, not exactly?” Silvia was silent as she poured Robin a cup of tea. “Everybody in town is apprehensive to talk about it because, um, rumors have been flying about it being cursed.”

“Cursed?” Robin reached over to grab her teacup’s handle without looking. “Why would they believe that? The festival is about celebrating Florette’s bountiful flora and crops, so something happened during it?”

“Well...It’s just that last year, we didn’t get a chance to celebrate.” Silvia gripped her apron, an unconscious attempt to calm herself. “Our town was attacked by pirates.”

“Wait? What, how?” Franky had almost choked on his drink when Silvia’s words registered. “Don’t you guys have a Marine base close by? Ya know--” Franky tugged at his hat. “--the whole reason we’re incognito?”

“That’s why everybody thinks it’s a curse; the attack happened the night before. We don’t know how they made it onto the island without the marines knowing. They didn’t come from the south like your group did. They came in from the north.”

“Pirates attacking your home is a terrible thing, but why would that be a curse?” Robin took a slow sip of her tea to allow Silvia a chance to drop the subject. She had no plans of backing down, however, since this was the closest she was to getting an answer.

“The rumor is...um.” 

Franky and Robin raised an eyebrow as they waited for why the innkeeper had stopped. Silvia’s eyes moved to the ground, and Robin recognized her body language in an instant. The downcast eyes, the slumped shoulders, and the glaring but teary eyes were clear indicators of one emotion. 

Guilt.

Robin and Franky knew the feeling a little too well.

“It’s just that two years ago--” Silvia lifted her head. “Two years ago, all of Florette’s crops were nearly destroyed. Every flower and plant was dying for some reason. It was as if they were rusting or something. Nobody knew what was happening, and we almost lost our main source of trade.”

“Incredible,” Robin murmured. Trying to imagine the town without flowers felt sacreligious.

“All of this happened before the festival?” Franky rubbed his chin as he pieced the puzzle together. “So what exactly happened to ‘cause’ that curse?”

“It was because, no, well, I mean…” Silvia was bunching up the top of her apron, her nervousness clear. “I don’t want to say I believe in this curse, but I can see why it could happen. Two years ago, a good person was framed, and there was no justice, and I...I couldn’t protect my friend...”

“That’s...That’s so saaaad!” Franky had tears in the corners of his eyes, and Robin passed him a napkin off the table before he could start bawling. “That’s a heavy burden to carry, missy! You love your friend so muuuuch!”

“But I’m not the one who hurts the most--!” Silvia let go of her apron when some patrons entered the cafe. She took a second to gather herself. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know if I can continue this conversation without letting my emotions get the best of me. I believe Doctor Sophia can explain it better. Please excuse me.”

Silvia gave the two pirates a polite curtsy, and turned to greet the new customers. Her charming smile and poised etiquette hid how she felt like crying over a memory from two years ago. Robin watched the young woman with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity. The mystery was just getting started. 

“I can hear the cogs turning in your head,” Franky’s straightforward tone broke Robin from her thoughts. He had collected himself and was no longer crying. “What’re you thinking?”

“I’m wondering if I should take a gamble.” Robin leaned forward so her elbows were on the table, and her hands held up her head. “There’s somebody I want to talk to, but I don’t want them to feel cornered.”

“Who’s that?”

“(Y/n).”

“Strawhat’s friend?” Franky leaned forward as well, curious as to why you were brought up. “Doesn’t that person live outside of this town?”

“Silvia said there’s somebody who is hurting more. My guess is that it’s (Y/n). If somebody dear to them was framed, it would make sense if they left the town. Silvia is close to them as well as protective, so her reaction to the situation makes sense.” Robin sighed and sipped her tea. It was cooling down already. “However, I don’t think I should press for information about this.”

“Don’t wanna reopen old wounds. You’re **super** kind, Nico Robin.”

“Hm,” the pirate drank more of her tea to hide her embarrassed smile. “I most likely won’t get a chance to ask. Luffy has said they don’t like coming to town, and if they do they don’t talk.”

“That’s right. Long Nose said (Y/n) wrote instead of spoke. Strawhat says they can talk though. When they’re both in the desert, they talk for ho--Aow! I have a great idea!” Franky smirked as he pointed at himself with his thumb. “Why not come with me to meet this person in the desert? You’ll get them to talk freely.”

“Ara~? You’re going to meet them?”

“Yup! I’ve already made it clear that I wanna meet them soon. Because of the Franky Dune Rider II, we can cross the desert fast. I just gotta set up the day. That sound good?”

“That sounds wonderful,” Robin smiled, but added, “Are you sure you want me to come along? My curiosity may be unwelcome, and I’d rather not disrupt your fun with Luffy and (Y/n).”

“Naaah, that won’t happen.” Franky chuckled at Robin’s confused expression. “I know you won’t push them on this to an unreasonable point. Besides, I’m curious about this too. This town is pretending to be perfect, but this ‘curse’ says otherwise, right? I wanna help you uncover this. It’s good to know the territory we’re on to keep the crew safe.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The crew was eating dessert by the time Luffy showed up. It was becoming routine for the Straw Hat crew to eat dinner even if their captain wasn’t there. Usually, he would arrive in time to be there as they ate dessert, so they ate together in a way. It was during dinner time that everybody would get a chance to learn a little more about (Y/n). 

“And then they were like, pow! And the sharky went woosh! Dotty went, nyoooom! Oh! And then Dotty slammed into the sharky like a cannonball!! It was so cool~”

“Is anybody following what he’s saying?” Nami whispered to her seatmate on her right, which happened to be Robin. The raven haired pirate only giggled under her breath. 

“So they’re pretty strong, eh? I knew it. I should’ve sparred with them.”

“Haha~ Don’t worry, Zoro. I’ll tell ‘em.”

“That thieving cat is fast??” 

“Like the rabbits in the desert, yeah!”

“Yosh, I’ll have extra snacks with me next time so she doesn’t steal from me again…”

“Still upset about that, Usopp? (Y/n) wondered if they should pay you for what Dotty ate, but I said naaah~”

“D-Don’t decide that for me, you asshole!”

“Shishishi~”

“Oi, oi, this person sounds interesting,” Franky smirked as he leaned back in his chair, his forearm just barely brushing against Robin’s right shoulder. Robin glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “I wanna meet them soon. When can I?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I don’t think (Y/n) wants to visit the town right now. I told them that Nami said she had money to spend with them, but they didn’t wanna come yet.” 

“Nami’s gonna share money??” Usopp, Chopper, and Brook asked, amazed. 

“Yup! Money Nami got from a skunk’s tail!”

“That’s not what I--you know what? Forget it.”

“Nah, nah, they ain’t gotta come here. I’ll drive to the desert using the Franky Dune Rider II!”

“So cool~!” The trio who loved Franky’s inventions had shining eyes. When they saw the vehicle the shipwright had made, they were excited to see how it would travel over the sandy terrain. 

“It makes getting through the desert so much easier. It’ll be great so Nami-chan and Robin-swan don’t deal with the harsh sun in the future~”

“Kufu~ That sounds ideal,” Robin smiled at finding the opportunity to interject. “This vehicle is going to be useful against the sun. I’ve wanted to see if there are any ruins in the desert or just see the wildlife there, but I haven’t tried since I would be wandering the desert with no guide or transportation.”

“Ehhh? You wanna go out there?” Franky feigned ignorance as he hummed in thought. “Well I can take you on the Franky Dune Rider II, but that’s a lot of ground to cover.”

“(Y/n) nos de desher,” Luffy mumbled through a full mouth. He swallowed the large amount of food he had stuffed his face with before speaking again. “They might know where to find them. We can all go on the cool Dune Riding Thingy~” 

“It’s the Franky Dune Rider II!” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You were nervous. You weren’t going to lie to yourself. When Luffy told you that two of his crew members were going to meet you, you wondered if you should have stuck to the one-on-one arrangement instead. Luffy had assured you they were amazing people (his whole crew was).

According to Luffy, Franky and Robin were the best people to meet as a pair. 

Franky was the shipwright. He had made the mode of transportation that crossed the desert in a day. He was a cyborg and super cool. He was strong and funny, and you would be amazed by him. Even though he was loud, he was a considerate guy.

Robin was smart. She could read for hours on end and knew everything. What she didn’t know, she would search for. She was kind and fun to be around. You would get along great with her because you were clever like she is. Her quiet energy would put you at ease. 

“Those were some large promises,” you whispered to nobody in particular. 

You were in a clearing where a rock formation created a nice shade over the picnic blanket you had set on the ground. The floor was flat and mostly dirt, so it was where you had asked Luffy to bring his crew. You had drawn a map with him to follow and everything starting from Florette. 

Dotty was currently sprawled out on the checkered blanket while you set up the fruits you had brought. Luffy said he would bring food from the cafe, but you felt the need to bring something yourself. His friends had agreed to come to the desert, so you wanted them as comfortable as possible. You had grapes, pears, and a watermelon ready to combat the heat/dehydration. You swept the stray sand off the nearby area so it didn’t get a chance near the fruits. 

You had brought a broom in order to clear up. You were that serious about giving a good impression to the shipwright and archeologist. 

From the distance, the pirate trio were coming closer to where you were. Franky drove while Luffy sat at the top--strapped with a seatbelt so he didn’t fly off. Robin was in the passenger’s seat with a pair of binoculars in her hands. She looked through them and spotted you and Dotty. 

“Oooooi!!! (Y/n)!!” Luffy waved with both his arms in order to get you to look up from your task. When you heard his voice, you turned around to see a vehicle you had never seen before. 

“Oh my god...That looks so cool!” 

The dune rider glided through the sand with ease which explained how it traveled in a day. Luffy unbuckled himself from the car in order to shoot himself towards you. You weren’t sure what he was doing at first until you heard the familiar ROCKET. You were able to move aside in time so he didn’t slam into you. 

“Ara, ara~ How interesting.” Robin smiled as she watched the scene unfold before her. She watched you rush over to Luffy to see if he was okay. Her captain dusted himself off and laughed. 

“What is it?”

“They were sweeping.”

“Ehhh? Why would they do that?”

“To be considerate.” Robin brought the binoculars down and giggled. “They’re as cute as that kitten on the blanket.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, given current stuff going on, I haven't gotten the chance to write as much as I've wanted to. This isn't to say I'm going to stop writing (I like this story too much and I like writing about this character/reader), but there is going to be a semi-hiatus. My work is really picking up because places are opening again, so I've been drained (I work every other Saturday so I only really have Sundays off). I hope that you all still look forward to this story in the future, I will not be stopped from writing (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و


	17. History Lesson (2)

Robin giggled, her hand up to her mouth as she watched you and Luffy scout the vehicle Franky had invented. Luffy was chattering away telling you about it while Franky could only interject to clarify some points. Your eyes shined as you admired the design and complimented the craftsmanship. Your hands hovered over the dune buggy as if you wanted to make sure it was real.

“The wide wheels, the strong structure, and so spacious…” The metal was warm against your hands when you finally touched it. You shook your head to clear away the bewilderment and lifted your hands. “It’s incredible! This is perfect to get through the desert in no time.”

“Shishi~ See? I told you Franky is an awesome shipwright! You should see Sunny~”

“Aow~ You two are too kind,” Franky rubbed his chin, pride evident on his face. “It’s not just durable, it’s also fast across the sands.”

“Really?” Your eyes were back on the vehicle’s wheels. “That’s awe--” Your sentence was cut short by your own gasp. “Gah! Um, I’m so sorry. You’re all standing in the sun while I fan out about this. I, uh, I set up a blanket in the shade. Please follow me.”

Your pace was rushed as you kept your head down to lead the way. Luffy only chuckled as he followed behind you. Franky went to grab a large picnic basket from the car before he followed your lead. He noted that Robin was waiting for him from her spot. Once he was beside her, she smiled and giggled again. 

“Like I said, cute as a kitten.”

As the pirates were coming closer to the picnic spot, you spread out the multiple fruits you had brought for the group. You didn’t know how much they ate, but you knew Luffy had an appetite that could be on par with giants. You didn’t have to worry about there being a shortage of food, however, when Franky set down a fully packed picnic basket. 

“Yosh! Let’s eat, let’s eat~ Sanji made us food, ah, and so did the chef from the inn.”

“You mean Silvia’s mom? Madame Garreaux.”

“...Madame Garr...Garr…”

“_Garreaux,_” You emphasized while Dotty climbed onto your lap. You had finished setting up the fruits, so that meant snuggle time, right? Luffy sat cross legged across from you, and his expression twisted in contemplation. You tried again. “It’s _Garr-eaux_.” 

“Madame...Gar...Gaaa--Gaaaoood. Good? Good food. Madame Good!”

“Are you doing that on purpose??”

“Let's eat!”

“Don’t change the subject on me! I’m onto you.”

“Kufufu, you two are fun to watch,” You stopped pseudo-glaring at Luffy when Robin addressed you. You couldn’t help but be a little intimidated by her. She was so poised and elegant, even the way she sat down was graceful. “I’m happy I’ve gotten the opportunity to meet you, (Y/n)-san.”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” you gave her a slight bow. Anxiety was creeping up on you again. 

“I can finally put a face to the name now,” the blue haired man plopped down beside the beautiful woman and lifted his sunglasses up with his thumb. “Strawhat here tells us about you and that lil’ cat you got on your lap all the time.”

“Mrrrow?”

“All good things, I promise,” Franky winked at the cat on your lap. She purred, content with his addition. 

“It’s nice to meet you too. Luffy’s told me a lot about you guys and the rest of your crew.” Your fingers ran over Dotty’s fur as you shifted in your spot, a sudden discomfort appearing. “And, um, I’m really sorry I didn’t meet you in Florette. I know it’s a lot more comfortable there than here.”

“Ehh? Don’t go apologizing to us now, missy,” Franky scoffed at the assumption of being there by force. “We wanted to see the area instead of just staying in the flowery town.”

“It’s true,” Luffy nodded, a serious expression on his face that only broke when he bit into a pear. “Robin wants to find ruins in the deser--ah! Franky, (Y/n)’s not a girl.”

“Oh, really? A boy then?”

“Hmm?” At Luffy’s glance to you, you shook your head. “Nope! They’re (Y/n).”

“That’s SUUUPER~!” The shipwright posed with his arms in the air, leaning to the side. The star tattoos he had on his forearms aligned to be one star. Robin smiled, but you looked on in confusion since you heard the clink of metal when he posed. 

_OH! Right, a cyborg..._

“We’ll make sure to address you correctly, (Y/n)-san.” 

“Thank you so much.”

“Yosh~ Now, let’s eat, I’m starving.”

You curled your lips in, stifling a chuckle. Before when you first met Luffy, you wondered if his crew was as accepting (and chaotic) as him. So far, it seemed that your theory was right. You let your shoulders relax, and you smiled. Luffy had been right, their presence was comforting. 

After everything was taken out of the picnic basket, the four of you ate while Dotty napped in your lap. You came to learn that Robin was determined to learn about the island you lived in, so she was hoping you could fill in some gaps about the past. With you living outside of Florette, you were her best bet on finding any ruins. 

“I don’t think there are any ruins left,” you frowned and hummed in contemplation. “I think anything that was man-made was confiscated by the Marines.”

“What a shame,” Robin sighed and sipped her water. “There’s truly nothing?”

“In terms of buildings, unfortunately no. What couldn’t be taken was destroyed, which is fucking awful--” You mentally chastised yourself for speaking in a vulgar manner around Robin, but it boiled your blood whenever you remebered the crumbled remains of what used to be. “The only way you’ll see relics of the past is in the museum in Orange Town.”

“Huh? I would've thought the Marine’s won’t allow a museum ‘cause--” Franky gestured towards the desert. “--they got rid of the old stuff out here. Why let a museum exist?”

“Yeah, why let it?” Luffy set the watermelon in his lap, ready to crack it open at any second. “Aren’t museums like pots and statues and stuff you can’t touch? Sounds boring~”

“Hey now, don’t be rude,” you pouted. “The museum in Orange is incredible. The curator there works hard to preserve the art and fossils.”

“Are you close with the curator?” Robin set her empty cup down.

“Ah? Oh, no, I know him because…” Your hesitant pause was not missed by Robin and Franky. “...of Gabriel. We’d donate fossils we found in the desert to the museum. OH! Art pieces too! The Seyamour family had artworks passed from generation to generation, and Gabriel donated them.”

“How wonderful, what a selfless thing to do,” Robin smiled, and it made you happy she complimented your guardian. 

“Gabriel was constantly butting heads with those in charge in order to keep donating. Main reason the museum hasn’t been shut is because it’s Orange’s tourist attraction. The museum grew with the fossils they found and the art they gave.” You snapped your fingers remembering an important detail. “Oh! There’s a small zoo section too, so it's a museum/zoo.”

“Even though that stuff was theirs, it went to the museum?” Luffy hummed, not understanding the logic. “Why do that? Isn’t art stuff, like, treasure? Or was it only a treasure to their family?”

“Yeah, but Gabriel didn’t like that it was all hoarded in the house.” You snickered at Luffy’s concentrated expression. “Art is knowledge, Luffy, and knowledge should be shared.” 

“Ehh, really?”

“Yes?” You had to suppress a laugh because your quick response just made Luffy tilt his head in confusion. “Sharing is caring, like how I shared the location of the Cactus Forest.”

“Oh yeah~ That was really nice of you, so thanks!” 

“Oi, oi, oi, I’ve been meaning to ask about that,” Franky interjected. “How is there a forest in a desert??” 

“Because of the cacti, Franky.”

“That’s not an answer, Robin!” 

“This Gabriel person is an important person to the town then?” Luffy asked, ignoring how Franky was pouting at a smiling Robin. With a smile in place and no malintent, he added. “I wanna meet them.”

At those words, your expression turned somber as you tried to find a way to break the news. You were unaware of how Robin had already figured out that Gabriel was the friend who had been falsely accused in Silvia’s story. Franky was doing his best not to be teary eyed as he remembered the story. He wasn’t going to cry or anything!

“Gabriel was arrested,” you stated, an even but flat tone to your voice. “Two years ago, the captain of the Marine base accused them of treason, so I don’t know if you’ll get a chance to meet.” You lowered your eyes to watch Dotty adjust herself on your lap. “I don’t know if I will either.”

“(Y/n), I’m so sorry,” Luffy felt a pang in his heart, but he knew there was nothing he could do. The past was the past. It couldn’t be changed, but the memories of it could hurt to this day. “It’s...it’s okay, um, we can talk about something else--”

“No, no, it’s okay,” you rubbed at your eyes, not giving them a chance to dampen with tears. “Actually, if anything, I’m happy.” You were met with confused head tilts from Luffy and Franky. “I don’t usually get a chance to talk about Gabriel. Florette certainly doesn’t want to hear the name, but here, right now, I get to point out how awesome Gabriel is.”

“Gabriel sounds like--” Franky sniffled. “--a suuuuper pal! NO, I’m not crying.” 

“O-Okay,” you curled your lips in to hide your smile. The blue haired man really wore his heart on his short-sleeve open shirt. “Um, I hope I didn’t make things awkward. I really am grateful I got to tell you all about my guardian.”

“Hearing about them had been Super, so don’t you worry, Traveler-chan.”

“H-Huh?”

“Hm? Do you prefer -san?” Franky rubbed his chin. “Couldn’t help but use -chan. It's cuter than -san. Ya remind me of a kitten for some reason. Is -kun better?”

Robin broke into giggles while your face heated up. At your pout and mumbled words of “I don’t get it,” Luffy laughed and agreed with Franky’s statement of you being feline-ish. You were alone in your defense of not being like a kitten. The moment was interrupted, however, when Dotty lifted her head. Her ears perked up forward before she relaxed again.

“What is it, pretty girl?” You looked in the direction that Dotty had looked to. The pirates followed your gaze to see tiny, red dots in the distance. “Oh, Sand Crawlers?”

“Is it something we should worry about?” Robin asked. You shook your head and made no move to leave your spot. 

“They’re tall crabs that’ve adapted to the sands. Surprisingly docile if you can catch one. They mind their own business and avoid people.”

“Crab? Are they tasty??” Luffy licked his lips in anticipation. “I can grab us some.”

“Hm, 1. Don’t know, and 2. Please don’t eat them.” Your gaze returned to the horizon where the crabs were coming from. “I’d be impressed if you could catch one. I got the chance to pet one once. They’re really cool. Cute too in a crabby way.”

“Sounds interesting,” Robin was still staring at the creatures as their forms became clearer. “They do look cute.”

“You think the weirdest things are cute,” Both Franky and Luffy muttered as you and Robin turned to nod at each other. A lightbulb popped up over Franky’s head. 

“Oi, Strawhat, let’s see who can grab one of those crawlies first.” The shipwright turned to give Robin a thumbs up after standing up. “Be right back with one of those things.”

“Yosh! Sounds like fun,” Luffy set the watermelon aside before he jumped up and ran after Franky. “I’ll bring one back so you can pet it, (Y/n)!”

“W-Wait! Hold your horses--!” You sighed, knowing they weren’t going to hear you over the distance or their determination. “You’re underestimating Sand Crawlers…”

“It’ll be alright,” Robin began to set aside the empty plates. “It looks like it’ll be fun for them.” 

Just as she said that, Luffy lunged himself at one of the crabs. The crustacean leaped into the air with the grace of a ballerina. It was going to be a long, odd battle. 

“(Y/n)-chan, there’s something I’d like to ask you.” 

“Yes?” It seemed that the cute suffix was going to stay on you.

“You don’t have to indulge me if it’s a painful memory, but could you tell me what you know about the supposed curse around the Jardin de Fleurs?”

You frowned at the name, but Robin knew it wasn’t to her. Your soured expression was a result of the past two years. The curses, Robin pieced together, were most likely tacked onto Gabriel’s arrest. It made sense if it was a subject you’d rather avoid. 

“It’s bullshit,” you stated. You cleared your throat in order to calm yourself down. “This curse happens around the time of the festival, but on different days. The first one was during the week of Jardin de Fleurs and the second happened the day before. If it's a curse, it’s inconsistent.”

“So you don’t believe in it.” 

“Not at all.”

You both heard Franky’s chains rattle as he shot his arm out in an attempt to catch the speedy crabs. The crab he tried to grab lowered itself to the ground and did a split. The other crabs were moving side to side, a swaying motion that meant they were cheering. 

“Florette has never really accepted Gabriel,” you continued. Dotty got up from your lap to stretch. After she was done, she made her way towards the pirate vs. crab battle. “But they didn’t resent the town. I don’t think Gabriel would ever put a curse on the town even if they could. That’s why I don’t believe in this curse. Gabriel wouldn’t want innocent people to be hurt.”

“Your guardian sounds like a wonderful person.”

“Haha, yeah,” you pulled your knees up to your chest, a goofy smile spreading across your face. “I’m happy you said that.”

“I am curious about one thing,” Robin continued. “How did the pirates get to Florette? Please forgive me for asking questions you don’t have the answers to, but when a mystery presents itself, I can’t help but try and uncover it.”

“It’s okay. That’s...something I want to know too,” you frowned and hummed in thought. You missed how Dotty’s had caught one of the crab’s by the leg.

“Silvia said I should talk to Doctor Sophia about it.”

“Maybe, but she doesn’t know what happened either,” you unfolded your legs to sit cross legged. “During the attack, she was helping the injured. She didn’t know what had happened and neither did Silvia. Silvia was unconscious during it because...” your pause had Robin confused. “I got there late. The pirates had already started fires, and La Petite Source was being burned. The smoke had her knocked out.”

“You were both caught in the middle of it? How awful, I’m so sorry (Y/n).”

“It’s...it’s in the past now,” you waved your hand as if brushing away the memory. “I didn’t see when they got there, but I know it was from the northside because the south is all desert.”

“What about the east and west?”

“The cliffs are too high. They would’ve been spotted by people in Orange or Violette Town. They’re both towns that don’t sleep.”

“I see, that makes sense since they’re both tourist attractions.” Robin tapped her chin as she made mental notes for her investigation. “They couldn’t have arrived from the southeast because that’s dangerous territory. It’s where Desert Dracons reside.” You nodded, happy Robin had done her research. “What about the southwest?”

“I, um, I live there,” you scratched your cheek and looked away. “I’m up at night, and just, you know--”

“You do patrols at night,” Robin finished and giggled at your flustered expression. “A watchful protector, aren’t you?”

“I just--! I happened to be up, and um, Dotty is nocturnal too, it’s nothing really!”

While Robin continued to be amused by your defenses, Dotty walked away from her battle victorious. Franky was ruffling his hair frustrated at having lost to the kitty, but Luffy was laughing as he walked beside the victor. Dotty’s muffled meow had you and Robin look at her. 

“Oh, hey! Dotty got one. Good job, pretty girl.”

“Ara, ara~ That’s a cute creature.”

“Poor thing’s panicking though,” you stood up to approach the squirming crab. The other crabs kept their distance, but they did not leave since they knew the crab was still alive. “Hey, buddy, you’re okay.”

“Can we eat it?” Luffy asked. 

“Please don’t,” you replied without giving it any thought. You reached over the crab with both hands and began smacking the top of it like a bongo. The pirates were frozen in confusion as you played a makeshift tune on the crustacean. Dotty released her grip on the crab, but it didn’t run away. “Good. Boy. You’re. A. Good. Crab~”

“What the hell is happening??” Franky murmured. He then noticed that the other crabs were drawing in closer. “Oi! The other ones are moving in.”

“Mother Sand Crawlers get hardened sand off the babies by doing this, so they like being pet like this,” you explained while you kept patting. You stopped, and the crab shifted around content. “Do you want to pet him, Robin-san?”

“I’d love to, kufufu.”

“Imma catch one and pet it!” declared Luffy as he ran towards the crowd of crabs. 

At his sudden movement, the crabs scattered away from him. You had a feeling they were less afraid of the pirates now, however. Franky sighed and began stretching. He stated how he would also try again to catch one. Maybe he could get one before Dotty decided to try again. 

“Robin-san, I think Doctor Sophia can tell you more.”

“Really?” Robin looked over at you as she continued to pet the happy crab. She watched you as you picked up Dotty in order to set her on your shoulder. “I thought she was aware of the attack when it was already happening.”

“That’s true, but she knows the townspeople. Somebody probably told her what they saw.” You shrugged and looked down. “I don’t know the before, only the after. I don’t,” you took a deep breath. “I don’t like thinking about the after.”

“I understand,” Robin finished petting the Sand Crawler, and it did a little jiggy before scurrying away. “Thank you for your help.”

“I don’t know if I helped much, but you’re welcome. I hope you’re able to uncover this.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did you learn anything?”

Robin watched you and Luffy’s figures become smaller and smaller in the side mirror of the Dune Rider. The captain was going to stay with you longer into the night, so Robin and Franky were the only ones returning to Florette. There was more to explore around the area according to Luffy, so he wanted to travel with you some more. You promised them to lead Luffy back to the town before it was too dark. 

“A little. More and more of this secret is showing itself.” Robin leaned back into her spot on the passenger’s side. Franky glanced at her as he drove and raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have a clear idea of what it is, so I wonder what it’s all leading to. Kufufu, well mysteries are about the journey I suppose.”

“Haa~? You’re an interesting one, Nico Robin,” Franky smirked and shook his head. “I’ll have to be on my toes in order to be on the same page as you while you investigate.”

“Try not be left in my dust.”

“Yeah I’ll---Oi! What’s that supposed to mean?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I can get a longer break so I can get back into writing @_@ A head's up, this story will probably have hints of Frobin (FrankyxRobin). I can't help but ship them, their dynamic makes me think of Morticia and Gomez Addams (●´□`)♡ This story is still very LuffyxReader though. I'll have cute moments written soon, promise! I hope everybody is safe, and please continue to wear masks if you're in the US.


	18. So, You Wanna Snoop

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: queerphobic/intolerant talk

Memories are far and few for you. Whenever you remember anything, you dissected it piece by piece to the point where you remember it like the back of your hand. Random smells or sounds triggered the lost memories, but they were far and few in between. You don’t have many memories before living with Gabriel.

Memories with Gabriel, on the other hand, were the ones that stuck with you. It made sense; memories made with them would end up filling the space left from your past. You recall one amusing memory with Gabriel that happened in the kitchen.

You were at the dining table as Gabriel meticulously sliced the shallots for the stew. The mushrooms were soaking in water while the other miscellaneous ingredients were placed around the prep area. The pot and pan for the meal were on the stove ready to be used; the little bit of butter and olive oil needed were already measured and poured into them.

You leaned your head against your propped up arm with a smile in place. 

Gabriel was huffing in frustration at their progress. 

“I don’t understand,” they lamented. “The room should smell like a restaurant. I made sure I got the best ingredients.” They lifted the fresh thyme from the ingredient pile and gave it a sniff. “It’s fresh. Maybe the garlic isn’t fresh? What if it’s the mushrooms?? (Y/n), hunny, come smell these to make sure they’re fresh.”

“Hm,” you stood up and walked other to the hardworking chef. You sniffed the shallots, the thyme, and the garlic. “Yup, all fresh. Ah, there’s something important though.”

“What is it? Oh no, don’t tell me there’s something’s wrong with the rabbit. I made sure to clean it thoroughly.”

“I know.” You walked over to the stove all the while biting back your growing grin. 

Click.

Click.

_FOOOSH._

“You forgot to start the fire.”

“...Ah,” Gabriel placed a hand on their cheek as the realization hit them. You chuckled under your breath, but it was cut short when Gabriel pulled you in for a hug. “Thank you~ See? I need you in my life to keep me on track.”

You leaned into the hug, your smile finally not held back. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a house Luffy was curious about. 

It was a gorgeous mansion he noticed in passing. The estate was visible from the clifftop you two had made your designated meeting spot, so Luffy was aware of it every so often. He would usually not care about houses too much. A house by itself wasn’t fun. It had to have _something_ to it for it to be exciting. 

Was the house haunted? Was there a curse? Treasure?? Something???

Those questions were silenced when Luffy realized how you would avoid the house when you two went on walks. Whether it was when you took him to the Cactus Forest or to the Great Dune, you drifted away from it. Maybe it was best to not ask you about it. 

Unfortunately for him, his curiosity had grown far too large for him to contain. 

“(Y/n)!”

“Oh my god!” You placed your hand over your heart as you threw Luffy a halfhearted glare. “Why are you trying to give me a heart attack first thing in the evening?” 

“Ah, sorry, I’m here now, but (Y/n)--” Luffy made his way to where you were sitting by the tree. He sat cross legged across from you with a determined stare. “I need to know, what’s with that house on the hill?”

Luffy pointed in the direction of said mansion, but you refused to look that way. You knew which house he meant, but you hoped he would drop his curiosity. Luffy hummed confused at your silence. He waited for your answer, so you knew you would have to answer him. 

“It’s where I used to live.”

“E-Eh?”

“It’s the Seyamour Familia Mansion,” You sighed. “A.k.a: Gabriel’s family.” You looked up at the sky and saw Dotty looking down towards you from one of the tree branches. “They inherited the house, and it was where I used to live until two years ago.”

“It was your home…”

“Kinda,” you shrugged as you watched Dotty begin to descend the treetop. “It’s just a mansion if Gabriel isn’t there. I don’t really care what the Marines want with it. I just want to be left alone by them.”

“What? It belongs to the Marines now??”

“Uh-huh,” you gave him a half smile and another shrug. “They confiscated it because the only heir was arrested, so with no owner it belongs to the military now or whatever.”

“No, it belongs to you,” Luffy frowned. You had to resist the urge to smile at his expression. “Gabriel would’ve wanted it to go to you.”

“I appreciate your determination--” You paused when Dotty meowed to announce her arrival, “--but I don’t have any kind of paperwork that ties me to the mansion.”

“Ehh? What do you mean? That makes no sense. Gabriel took care of you, and they’d give you the house.” Luffy pouted and crossed his arms in a huff. You smirked and shook your head as Dotty nestled into your lap. “I wanna see that house. Your house.”

“Not my house,” you corrected. “Still, I can show you the outside. The outside is gorgeous and the flowers out front are pretty. Will that satiate you?” 

“Uhhh, yeah?”

“...”

“...”

“Will it make you happy…?”

“Yes!”

“Did I teach you a new word today?”

“I learn something interesting every time I’m around you, shishishi~”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your initial plan was to give a tour of the general area. The Seyamour Familia owned a large portion of the land where the mansion was built, so there was more to see other than the large house. Fearsome stone guardians greeted newcomers while the stone walls deterred any wanderers away. The overwhelming amount of steel and stone overshadowed the entrance, but past it one could see the previously mentioned garden. 

Luffy seemed to enjoy the parts of the estate you showed him. From the frozen snarls of the stone guardians to the flora growing on the sides, he was attentive to your explanations. 

Despite all of that, he was still curious. 

“Can we go inside?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Ehh? You didn’t even stop to think about it, (Y/n).”

“I know, and I’m sorry, but we actually can’t.”

“Why?”

“Remember when I said the Marines confiscated the mansion?” At his nod, you continued. “There are soldiers stationed in the mansion to make sure nobody tries to break-in. There are guards there morning and night.”

“Every day?!”

“Yup,” you frowned when you realized you were wrong. There weren’t any guards last year during a crucial time. “I haven’t been able to go back and get anything I might’ve missed. I’m considered an intruder if I go in.”

“I can go kick their asses if you want,” Luffy cracked his knuckles and began to walk towards the front. “Give you enough time to get your stuff.”

“Hold your horses,” you gripped the back of Luffy’s shirt to keep him in place. “Again, I appreciate your determination, but I’d rather you not start a fight. Besides, you’re supposed to keep a low profile, remember?”

“Oh yeaaah,” Luffy crossed his arm with a huff. “Can Dotty go and fight them?”

“Mrow!”

“Nooo, shhh,” You reached up to pet Dotty’s head with your free hand. She was ready to hop off your shoulder and run up to the front door. “Nobody is fighting anybody, okay?”

“Booo, why no--” All of a sudden, you cut Luffy’s rant off by placing your hand over his mouth. He was going to question why you had done that, but he noticed how Dotty’s ears were straight up and you had your finger over your mouth in the universal sign for _Quiet_. 

“No, fuck it!” 

Dotty hissed as she looked towards the entrance of the mansion. You pulled Luffy away from view of the front door. He heard the front door slam open while you had him hide with you by the stone fencing. Luffy couldn’t see what was happening, but he could tell there was at least one angry man the three of you were hiding from.

“We really should wait,” a different man reasoned. “They’ll be here any minute I’m sure.”

“It’s been fifteen _fucking_ minutes. Fifteen minutes of waiting for them to switch posts with us.” The first man stormed out the mansion. “You honestly don’t think those bastards aren’t getting _wasted_ at a bar right now? I’m going to get myself a drink.”

“W-Wait!” 

You were careful as you lifted your head to spy on the duo. Luffy, on the other hand, popped his head up to see what the issue was. You had to pull him down by the collar of his shirt. You thanked your lucky stars that neither of the Marine soldiers noticed the pirate captain.

“You can either come with me to have a good time and relax, or stay here to watch over The Hassle House!” 

You stayed in place as the angry man griped and moaned his misfortune of being stationed that day at the infamous Sayamour household. Apparently, the soldiers had dubbed the place The Hassle House because everybody hated to go through the hassle of protecting some “crossdresser’s” property. 

“Who are we ‘_protecting_’ it against anyways?”

“Opportunistic thieves mostly, but I think the owner had a son? Or was it--?” The calm soldier scratched the side of their head as they tried to remember what the report said. “Was it a daughter? I think I’ve seen this person. I thought they were a girl?”

“Oh, great,” the first soldier chuckled sarcastically. “So that’s two crossdressing weirdos from this house.”

“Oi, that bast--!” Luffy’s shout was cut short by your hand. You shake your head, but Luffy’s glare doesn’t die down. If anything, you could feel his anger grow by the second the more the men talked. 

“Look, just lock the front door and we’ll come back later. Nobody’s gonna want anything from this place. The valuable shit was given to the museum because the owner was a fuckin’ idiot.”

You took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Luffy was fuming, so you knew you had to be the one to keep a calm head. After a bit more back and forth, both soldiers were headed towards Florette to have a good time. During that time, you had to hold Luffy close because he was a second away from charging at the man.

You needed to distract him. 

“Luffy, wait,” you smiled when an idea appeared. “The house is empty, I can go inside.” Luffy turned his attention to you, which was what you needed for him to do. “When I left the house, I could only take what I could carry. There’s something I want to find, and this might be my only chance to get it.”

“Hmm,” Luffy stood up with vigor. “That’s great then! There’s a treasure inside that you need to get. Let’s go get it!”

You both made your way to the front door, but you didn’t bother to check the handle. While Luffy’s gangled with the doorknob, you were looking up at the window. You wondered if your theory was true to this day.

“Hmph! I can easily kick this door down.”

“No, nooo, that’d be _way_ too obvious.” You wave your hands as you place yourself between the door and Luffy. “That’s going to scream ‘Somebody broke in’. How about this?” You point upwards to the window far above you. “I think that window’s unlocked. Or rather, the lock’s janky so it’s probably easy to open.”

“Hm? Really?” Luffy stepped back to look at said window. “Haa~ I see, so should I shoot myself up there and break it?”

“Again, that’s going to scream ‘I broke in’. Wait one second.” 

You took Dotty off your shoulder to place her on the ground. Once her attention was on you, you signed to her. You held your hand steady while circling your dominant hand above it, tapped your hand again with the dominant one in an "up, then down" motion, and finally tapped the air repeatedly.

//Above. Window. Tap Tap Tap.//

“Mrow~” 

The wildcat crawled into your arms as you took out your metal staff. Luffy watched in silence as you expanded the collapsed weapon and placed Dotty on the end of it. Within seconds, you had shot the cat into the air where she landed on the tiny ledge of the window. She began to smack the window the way pets did against glass doors when they wanted to be let in.

The window flung open after a few taps.

“That window was always an issue,” you explained. “But never enough of an issue to be fixed.” 

“Yosh, so now we can go in,” Luffy wrapped his arm around your waist twice before you could comprehend what he was going to do. “Gomu gomu no…”

“W-Wait a sec--”

“Rocket!”

You were both in the house before you even realized what was happening. Luffy was smiling carefree as usual while you had your hand over your heart. You wondered if yelling at him would be appropriate when you were trying to sneak around. 

“Ara? Where’s Dotty?” 

“Dotty?” You listened until you heard the faint mew coming from the dark room parallel to the window. “Sorry kitty, did we accidentally scare you?”

“What room is this?” Luffy peered into the darkness, but he could only make out the vague shapes of chairs and a long table. “Storage?”

“Nope, it’s the dining room,” You went inside, and Luffy heard you fumble with a box of matches. He wasn’t sure if you had brought them, or they were already inside the room. “This is where Gabriel’s family used to eat. It’s so big that we’d just eat in the kitchen instead of going through the trouble of coming up here.”

Candle by candle, you lit the room. Wall lamps were turned on to help with the illumination of the room. It was as if you were casting a magic spell to bring the room to life because it looked completely different from how it was a few seconds ago. The darkness was gone, and Luffy saw everything. 

Paintings of strangers hung on the walls while a trophy fish was frozen in a majestic pose among the people. Looking up, Luffy’s gaze was caught by the scary faces of giant insect heads mounted above the doorway. He was made to look away by Dotty’s soft mew. It was coming from underneath the long table that was decorated to perfection. 

“Pspsps,” you coaxed the wildcat to pop her head out from underneath the white table cloth. You pet her head as she mewed again. When you stood up, you stared at the corner of the room where a large instrument resided. “You know, I completely forgot there’s a grand piano up here. Hmm.”

“This room is big. Is the thing you need here?” 

“No, I doubt it. What I’m looking for will either be in the kitchen or underground. The latter, well,” you stracted your cheek. “Gabriel might just be dramatic enough to put it there.”

“Yosh! Let’s go exploring!” 

“I’m kinda rethinking this…”

“It’ll be quick,” Luffy assured you as you walked up behind him to close the window as quietly as you could. “You just need to get important stuff that you left.”

“Yeah, but,” You glanced down at the set of stairs Luffy had walked down. Dotty had gotten out from under the table in order to walk on after him. She wanted to explore too. “I’m just worried.”

“You shouldn’t be worried in the first place,” you could hear Luffy’s pout in his voice. “This is your house.”

“No, it’s the Seyamour Familia’s house. I don’t have any paperwork that ties me to that.”

“But Gabriel’s your guardian, right? That means this is yours.” At those words, Luffy opened his arms to exemplify the wideness of the house as you made your way down the stairs. “Gabriel’s your family.”

“In practice, yes--” You walked up to Luffy and gestured for him to follow you. “--but on paper, I’m nobody to the World Government.”

Luffy frowned, but you were walking ahead and didn’t see his soured expression.

The house was massive. There were stone details, carved doors, and raw iron and metal work on windows and balconies. The middle of the mansion was an open space to the outside. A fountain spewed water in the middle of the courtyard while flowers and short trees grew around the area to add color to the stone building.

Luffy knew he would be clueless without your guidance. Everything was spacious, but that had the side effect of feeling empty. You navigated around the area with ease, however, not letting Luffy get a chance to scout the random hallways he saw. 

“Can I go in--”

“No. It’s just the bathroom.”

“What about--”

“That leads back outside.”

“I wanna see--”

“That’s another bathroom.”

Luffy frowned like a child denied candy. The whole reason he wanted to go into the house was to explore, and yet once the chance was given he didn’t get to take advantage of it? He was frustrated. 

“Hmph, what about here??”

“No--” You stopped walking all of a sudden, making Luffy almost bump into you. He was going to complain, but then he noticed your expression. You looked at the door with a longing stare that made Luffy wonder if he should move you towards it or away from it. “No, not that room…”

“(Y/n)...”

“It’s where Gabriel and I used to sleep. Even though there are so many rooms in this house--” you took a slow breath to collect yourself. “This is the room that felt like home.” You turned around and began walking. “We’re close to the kitchen. If it’s not there, I’m going underground.”

Luffy jogged up to you and saw you scoop Dotty into your arms. She purred against your chest. Luffy glanced at you from the corner of his eye, wondering if you were feeling okay. When you smiled at him, he felt happy you weren’t burying away any pain you might be feeling.

When you arrived in the kitchen, Luffy was a little surprised by it. While the rest of the mansion was exquisite, the kitchen stood out by being humble. The white wooden walls and earth toned furniture felt comforting and homey. You went to a drawer and immediately combed through the materials. 

“Oh where, oh where, could that little book be~?” You hummed as you continued to rummage. 

Dotty had gone back to walking around, and she made her way to the dining table. She sat on the wooden table and stared at the wall. Luffy followed her to see what had caught her attention. You turned around to see the two of them staring at the posters on the wall. One was a multiplication table while the other was the alphabet. 

“(Y/n)? Were you a baby when Gabriel took you in?”

“Nope,” you closed the drawer and walked up to Luffy empty handed. “Gabriel found me when I was around twelve or so.”

“Eh??”

“I don’t remember?” You shrugged and lifted Dotty up. “It's complicated. I just know that I don’t remember a lot before the age of twelve. When Gabriel found me, I was in a state of shock or something. Kinda, almost, comatose? I didn’t talk, so Gabriel tried to teach me anything they could because they didn’t know what I may or may not know.”

“You don’t remember anything?”

“Mostly. I remember things about myself like my name, my age, and what my favorite fruit is, but I don’t remember where I lived or where I was.”

“I see...”

“Hey, don’t worry about me,” you felt a sting in your heart when Luffy’s eyes were downcast and somber. “I learned fast, you know, given that I wasn’t young-young. The teaching material was never really taken down after that. Heh, it’s part of the decoration now.” Your joke had Luffy look at you and he smiled again. You found yourself thinking how you wanted to protect that smile. 

“Come on, we need to hurry. I think I know where I’ll find this book, and I want to get it before the Marines think of coming back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope the tw at the top was okay.
> 
> Btw! Want to read a super cute luffy/reader one-shot that's connected this story? Check out my friend's story! shenanigans . by brutalitation.  
(It takes place after this story finishes but there's no spoilers so no worries) 
> 
> On a funny note, my friend and I concluded that Gabriel is a gender neutral version of a Himbo/Bimbo. Would that make them their own category? A Nimbo? A Mimbo?


End file.
